Lam laments horrible loss but won’t dwell on it

Saracens 64 Connacht 6

Their first round meeting at the Sportsground was too close for Mark McCall’s comfort, and with a third successive quarter-final up for grabs, Saracens’ boss adopted the perfect game plan, and his players, directed by outhalf Charlie Hodgson, produced. Eleven tries, eight in the second half, tells the story.

Although Connacht had lived with the English premiership leaders for most of the first half, there were warning signs aplenty. Hodgson, in for Owen Farrell, kept Saracens’ attack short, utilising big men like the Vunipolo brothers to continually punch holes close to the gain line and open up space out wide for David Strettle, Chris Ashton and company.