Dylan Hartley: Saints must now conquer rugby in Europe

Dylan Hartley believes Northampton are better equipped than ever to win European club rugby’s biggest prize – but now must prove it.

Saints, beaten 33-22 by Leinster in the 2011 Heineken Cup final, play Clermont Auvergne in today’s European Champions Cup quarter-final (Stade Marcel-Michelin, 5.45pm)

“We are in a better place now,” said the England hooker and Saints captain.

“We had a good run (in 2011). Everything seemed to go our way, bar 40 minutes.

“That probably exhausted us. We had one team that played every game. We’ve got a better balanced squad now, men fighting for positions.

“We’ve won the Premiership, which is nice, we’d like to win it again this year, but as a squad, if we want to progress, we’ve got to win bigger things and the European Cup is that.

“Our squad responds well to a challenge and we’re fully aware of what we want to be.

“There’s not the big motivational chat. Everyone’s clued in. We know what we’ve got to do.

“It feels like we’ve put the effort in to make it this far in the tournament, we should really progress to a final and give ourselves a good chance.

“It’s a progression from going from a good club to a great club. Winning the Premiership is a difficult task. This is a bigger challenge, you’re playing against the best of the best in Europe.

“Playing away in a quarter-final is the biggest challenge of the season so far.”

ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE:

N Abendanon; N Nakaitaci, J Davies, W Fofana, N Nalaga; B James, L Radoslavjevic ; V Debaty, B Kayser, D Zirakashvili, J Cudmore, S Vahaamahina, D Chouly (c), J Bonnaire, F Lee

Replacements:

J Ulugia, T Domingo, C Ric, J Pierre, J Bardy, T Lacrampe, M Delany, A Rougerie

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS:

J Wilson; K Pisi, G Pisi, L Burrell, J Elliott; S Myler, L Dickson; A Corbisiero, D Hartley (c), S Ma’afu, S Manoa, C Lawes, T Wood, C Clark, S Dickinson

Replacements:

M Haywood, A Waller, G Denman, C Day, J Fisher, K Fotuali’i, T Stephenson, A See Tuala

Referee:

J Lacey (Ireland)