Owen Farrell might have been a leading candidate for a few sleepless nights recently but he is determined not to lose out on his eight hours of shut-eye over the challenge facing Saracens this afternoon

Milestones and long-awaited comebacks feature aplenty in the Saracens team picked by Mark McCall, who makes 10 changes from the side which lost at Bristol Bears last week.

This time 12 months ago, Munster and Leinster felt bulletproof as they approached their respective Champions Cup semi-final deciders against Racing 92 and Scarlets, with both squads densely fortified with players from Ireland’s all-conquering Grand Slam team.

Mark McCall looked back with pride on Saracens’ two-year reign as European titleholders but admitted his side’s grip on the Champions Cup was dislodged by a better Leinster team.

In total there are five changes to the side defeated by Scotland at Murrayfield.

Saracens kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions Cup knock-out phase after demolishing Northampton.

Keith Earls summed it up neatly when asked this week about what sort of pedigree Saracens will bring to Saturday’s Champions Cup semi-final.

Saracens 21 Racing 92 9: Welcome to the new world. Just a month before the British decide whether or not to stay in the EU, along come Saracens and rise to the top of European rugby. 

Saracens became the first English club to conquer Europe for nine years as Owen Farrell kicked them to Champions Cup glory.

Eddie Jones is yet to name his first England captain but insists he will pick his “best player” for the role.

Eddie Jones looks set to select a sprinkling of uncapped talent and leave out some established names when his first England elite player squad is announced today.

The pressures on England at this World Cup can hardly be over-egged. Their status as hosts, as founding fathers of the game, and as the country with both the greatest playing resources and finances, guaranteed a level of scrutiny and sense of expectation that was only heightened by their placement in Pool A alongside Wales and Australia.

Saracens travel to Racing Metro for their Champions Cup quarter-final tie tomorrow (Stade Yves-Du-Manoir, 12.45pm) full of confidence on the back of five straight wins.

Luck may have nothing to do with it but Munster might be asking themselves “why us” after running into a Saracens side which produced its finest performance of the season.

Munster head coach Anthony Foley says his team "didn’t turn up at times" today after suffering their heaviest European defeat since losing 60-19 to Toulouse during the 1996-97 season.

Saracens took a giant stride towards the European Champions Cup quarter-finals by flooring Irish heavyweights Munster at Allianz Park.

Munster 14 Saracens 3

Now comes the hard part.

Wingers Chris Ashton and David Strettle propelled Saracens to a 30-23 bonus point victory over Clermont in their Champions Cup grudge match at Allianz Park.

Rod Nawn rates the Ulster men in a Payne-less game.

Fourteen-man Ulster just failed to reach the Heineken Cup semi-final today after an astonishing clash which hung in the balance right to the end at the newly constructed Ravenhill.

Ulster coach Mark Anscombe is convinced the full house at the refurbished Ravenhill will have a key role to play in Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens.

Saracens 40 Edinburgh 7

Saracens 19 Munster 13

Saracens boss Mark McCall said his side had ‘come of age’ after beating Munster to put themselves in charge of Heineken Cup Pool One.

Munster boss Rob Penney is expecting an explosive encounter when the two-time European champions face Saracens in Sunday’s crucial Heineken Cup Pool One clash at Vicarage Road.

Munster will go into their Heineken Cup pool game at Saracens tomorrow (3pm) having been told they are masters of their own destiny by head coach Rob Penney.

Over the next two weekends, Rob Penney is about to learn just how much progress has been made since he began his revolution of the Munster rugby philosophy five months ago.

Saracens 28 Gloucester 23

Saracens rugby director Mark McCall is hoping his side can push on from the quarter-finals and become one of Europe’s elite clubs.

Leigh Halfpenny wants Cardiff Blues to take a leaf out of Wales’ book when they face mission improbable against Heineken Cup holders Leinster tomorrow.

Off the field business has provided another unwelcome diversion from Munster’s crucial RaboDirect Pro12 clash with Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park tonight, with news of a second loan move by Peter Stringer fromSaracens to Newcastle Falcons.

Munster have announced that Peter Stringer is to go to Guinness Premiership side Newcastle Falcons until the end of the season.

Munster have announced that Peter Stringer will take up a short-term contract with English Premiership side Saracens.

Biarritz 15 Saracens 10

Toby Flood will start at inside centre alongside fly-half Jonny Wilkinson in England’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France.

COURTNEY LAWES’ World Cup could be curtailed if Argentina cite the second row following England’s victory yesterday.

Argentina 9 England 13

England scrum-half Danny Care has been ruled out of the Rugby Word Cup with a toe injury.

Wales 19 England 9