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Investec Champions CupSaracens

Saracens and Racing name their semi-final teams

(Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)

Saracens have kept faith with the same team that eliminated Leinster from the Champions Cup last weekend for Saturday’s semi-final against a Racing XV showing two changes from their quarter-final win at Clermont.

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The win by the Londoners in Ireland was viewed as a major upset as Leinster had just been crowned PRO14 champions and came into the European tie on the back of 25 straight wins, a streak that stretched all the way back to May 2019 when they were beaten by Saracens in the 2018/19 season European final. 

With Owen Farrell suspended, Alex Goode ran the show from out-half last weekend, scoring a try and a plethora of kicks for a 19-point haul that was pivotal to the 25-17 Aviva Stadium success. 

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What do Owen Farrell’s teammates at Saracens think of his tackling technique?

Video Spacer

What do Owen Farrell’s teammates at Saracens think of his tackling technique?

Goode will now run the team again in a Saracens XV where only Sean Maitland and Jackson Wray remain from the pool defeat at Racing last November. Tighthead Vincent Koch and semi-final replacements Callum Hunter-Hill and Manu Vunipola were also involved off the bench that day. 

Back row Michael Rhodes, the man of the match in Dublin, had feared missing the semi-final after he was cited for an incident with Robbie Henshaw. However, he was cleared at a disciplinary hearing to play. 

Racing, meanwhile, recall Teddy Thomas for the injured Louis Dupichot while veteran former Ireland lock Donnacha Ryan comes in for Bernard Le Roux. The only change on their bench sees Boris Palu step up for the promoted Ryan. 

RACING: 15. Simon Zebo; 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. Virimi Vakatawa, 12. Olivier Klemenczak, 11. Juan Imhoff; 10. Finn Russell, 9. Teddy Iribaren (capt); 1. Eddy Ben Arous, 2. Camille Chat, 3. Georges Henri Colombe, 4. Donnacha Ryan, 5. Dominic Bird, 6. Wenceslas Lauret, 7. Fabien Sanconnie, 8. Antonie Claassen. Reps: 16. Teddy Baubigny, 17. Hassane Kolingar, 18. Ali Oz, 19. Boris Palu, 20. Baptiste Chouzenoux, 21. Maxime Machenaud, 22. Antoine Gibert, 23. Francois Trinh-Duc.

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SARACENS: 15. Elliot Daly; 14. Alex Lewington, 13. Duncan Taylor, 12. Brad Barritt (capt), 11. Sean Maitland; 10. Alex Goode, 9. Richard Wigglesworth; 1. Mako Vunipola, 2. Jamie George, 3. Vincent Koch, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Tim Swinson, 6. Mike Rhodes, 7. Jackson Wray, 8. Billy Vunipola. Reps: 16. Tom Woolstencroft, 17. Richard Barrington, 18. Alec Clarey, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Calum Clark, 21. Aled Davies, 22. Manu Vunipola, 23. Dom Morris.

 

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Comments on RugbyPass

H
Hellhound 26 minutes ago
Darcy Graham: 'It'd be nice to go to Ireland and get that win'

If France lose, and Scotland win, then they are Champs. However, it's a massive mountain to climb, and France will most likely not lose.

3 Go to comments
c
cnw 30 minutes ago
Steve Borthwick quizzed on his England future at tense press conference

As CM says, the yellow cards made a huge difference in all the losses. May seem an excuse, but the structure they have built over the last 12 months depends on all 15 on the paddock, and especially their flankers. Lose a man and they cannot maintain the intensity they need across the field. And they need a proper general to control the pace of the game. They have that in Ford - I know he is much maligned because of the Ireland game - but the system does not work without him or someone like him. Look at how he won the game against the ABs. That’s what you need. Conversely, what is the go to? What game can England turn to in 18 months?

23 Go to comments
c
cnw 40 minutes ago
Steve Borthwick quizzed on his England future at tense press conference

Agree CM - both teams had moments of brilliance in a tough rugged encounter. The back to back yellows made a huge difference, as did the yellows / red in the Scotland and Irish games. For me this has been key to all their loses because they rely so heavily on their contact intensity. They must sort this. Yes parts of the English game are very stodgy. Their transition between forwards and backs is probably the worst in the 6N. They really need to decide how they want to play the game. But as noted their intensity in the contact is good and when all their men on the field, the best in the 6N. Their set piece is overall solid (though they must have a hooker who can reliably hit his targets). If it clicks again next week, they are a good chance against France who have been over estimated on the back of their win against Ireland. Scotland showed that today. So agree, hold the line England. And I would not use the ABs as a template. They can shift back to the all of field attacking game reasonably easily because of how the game is played in the SR. But what is England’s go to if not building on what is already there?

23 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 49 minutes ago
Steve Borthwick quizzed on his England future at tense press conference

Now, now. Sir G-gate’s legacy is secure.

The ONLY manager to lose back-to-back major finals!



...

23 Go to comments
J
Jon 53 minutes ago
Steve Borthwick quizzed on his England future at tense press conference

Agree with you CM, but most keyboard warriors and pundits love to talk up a coach sacking. Many managers have gone through rough waters and come back with great success….however the recent Michael Carrick Man Utd appointment does back up the new broom sweeps clean theory!

23 Go to comments
u
unknown 1 hour ago
The challenge that awaits new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie

It seems like things have been unravelling in NZR as much as the ABs culture for quite some time. There are doubtless many reasons for that; but it’s clear that a “not-for-fit-purpose” NZR was having something of a domino effect on AB performance. The problem was less Ian Foster or Scott Robertson per se; whatever weaknesses each might have had, both have shown that, with the right support personnel and leadership structures, their teams — whether the ABs in IF’s case or the Crusaders in SR’s — can excel. In the absence of these structures, communication becomes murky, and the players feel confused and demoralised. I salute David Kirk for recognising this, and for making sure that the search process for a new coach was not about finding the “messiah” that many keyboard pundits crave but, rather, about embodying a new culture of due diligence, consultation, and transparency. Rennie as an individual seems to embody these values, but that’s less the point: the structures around the new coach also need to change radically. People here often kvetch about what they see as too much “player power.” But the players were clearly unhappy for a reason, and that reason wasn’t their outsized egos but something wrong in the ecosystem NZR had created, which included the processes by which previous coaches were appointed and the structures in which they operated. It will take time for this rebuild to take effect. But Gregor Paul does a great job of explaining why it had to happen.

5 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
The challenge that awaits new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie



Robertson also appeared to have a licence to spend. His total coaching, management and support staff grew to 24 people, which was more than the 21 of his predecessor Ian Foster, and in late 2024, he was able to take an additional seven players to Japan – to provide training opposition – at a cost of around $500,000 in wages, flights and accommodation, all in a year in which NZR posted a $19m loss.

Wow.



...

5 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
Steve Borthwick quizzed on his England future at tense press conference

Reminds me of when Sir Gareth Southgate lost to Hungary at home, 0-4.

23 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
'He's a wizard': Blues captain on 144-Test playmaker’s performance

He showed his quality. He wants that 10 jersey that he won off McKenzie in 2024.

1 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
Rob Penney: 'We looked as though we were a bit flat'

Flat and badly coached.

1 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
Vern Cotter on Cody Vai’s unique impact in the Blues environment

He was impressive. A lot of potential, just like Tangitau.

1 Go to comments
S
SB 1 hour ago
Antoine Dupont and Ben White had afters following in-game spat

Wonder what that was about. Toulouse vs Toulon will be a good watch when it occurs next.

1 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
England player ratings vs Italy | 2026 Guinness Six Nations

They - the team, media and about 70% of the fans who drive the discourse on this site - just need to lay off the hype machine

That predates even borthwick



...

57 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The challenge that awaits new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie



“That is the accountability we have. We talked to a whole range of people and there was virtually no difference between which island they came from [North or South], no difference between which ethnicity they were, virtually no difference whether they were an old player or a young player, the trends and the themes were very consistent.”

What do we think Kirk meant by this? Is he trying to let us not Razors incompetence wasn’t by any discriminatory bias?



...

5 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Dave Rennie's simple outlook on where the All Blacks can improve

Bro, what the flying f*uck are you even talking about?

I try to follow your line of thought, but it's like a GoPro camera strapped to a pig, running riot in a supermarket. And I'm trying to see what shoes it's wearing. I've no idea! I can't see!



...

24 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
95-cap veteran says 'mixed bag' against Wales was the 'true Ireland'

I think we will see where Ireland are really at on the final day. Either way

It's a proper game with silverware on the line. And we still have nothing even resembling a scrum or a functioning lineout



...

2 Go to comments
C
CM 1 hour ago
Title contending Scotland shock France to shake established Six Nations order

I think what you mean is that they aren’t the same when they are favourites. Good thing they won’t be in Dublin 🤩

7 Go to comments
A
AD 1 hour ago
Steve Borthwick quizzed on his England future at tense press conference

Asked why he is the right man to take England forward, Borthwick replied: “The team’s growth in the last 12 months has been very, very strong.”

He didn’t say yes. Which means what he said was an adoptive admission—the absence of a timely denial when confronted with the truth.



...

23 Go to comments
B
Bob Salad II 1 hour ago
Steve Borthwick quizzed on his England future at tense press conference

3 games, 3 losses, 3 chances to fix, 3 incredibly poor performances. How many more opportunities should he be given? His tactics are limited and if it wasn’t obvious in the defeat to Ireland, it looks increasingly like the players are incapable of playing the game Borthwick wants.

23 Go to comments
C
CM 1 hour ago
Title contending Scotland shock France to shake established Six Nations order

Scotland’s greatest moment of this century - just a blindingly good performance and a joy for all neutral rugby fans. I’ve seen some upsets in my time, but for this team to absolutely thump France, well, it speaks for itself doesn’t it? Well done to Gregor Townsend and his team, and to all those who said he should go, including Andy Goode…..you were wrong.

7 Go to comments
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