Investec Champions Cup Last-16 Preview: RC Toulon Vs. Saracens
Investec Champions Cup Last-16 Preview: RC Toulon Vs. Saracens
Investec Champions Cup last-16 knockout match preview sees three-time champion Toulon take on fellow three-time winner Saracens at Stade Mayol.
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Pitting two sides that each have won this competition three times against one another should’ve led to it being a marquee fixture this weekend.
Instead, Saracens boss Mark McCall called his shot early, announcing that he will be resting his top England internationals for the fixture.
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The result? A presumed comfortable victory for Toulon, at least on paper.
Certainly, the Premiership side could spring a surprise on the heavily favored hosts, but it is tough to see that happening.
All but waving the white flag due to falling on the tougher side of the draw, Saracens is putting all of its eggs in the Premiership basket this season. Of course, it is hard to really blame them, given a win over Toulon likely still would result in a meeting with reigning champion Toulouse a week later.
However, given the magnitude of this competition, it is bitterly disappointing that the Londoners have taken this approach.
Toulon would be foolish to assume the win is in the bag; taking into account the experience in that squad, it is unlikely they will.
Instead, it will be viewed as an opportunity to lay down a marker, and unlike many other sides, Toulon will be confident of turning over an Antoine Dupont-less side in the quarterfinals.
Do that, and they will face any of Munster, Ulster, Bordeaux or La Rochelle in a semifinal. Again, all sides are tough, but beatable, for this group.
Paving the path to victory, Toulon will look to squeeze Saracens up front early before unleashing its pace out wide.
In truth, the hosts have several more routes to victory than their visitors.
In saying this, we have seen even rotated Saracens squads stunt their opponents with a hard blitz defense and relentless breakdown assault.
If McCall’s men can frustrate their hosts and build a score, then the pressure will be firmly on Toulon. Central to this being the case will be Fergus Burke, who had, by and large, done a good job at filling the massive boots left by Owen Farrell.
With so much on the line for the hosts and Saracens transparency about where their priorities lie, we can only see one winner. Toulon by 20.
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