Alex Goode on guard for Leinster ‘Test’

Saracens full-back Alex Goode says the club’s Champions Cup quarter-final with Leinster will be bigger than a Test match for him.

The reigning European champions have landed themselves a trip to Dublin on Sunday, April 1 (3.30pm) after scrapping through into the knockout stages by virtue of being the third best runner-up in the pool stages.

The match promises to be one of the ties of the round, with Saracens coming up against the form side of the competition.

Leinster amassed an unrivalled 27 points in the pool stages, despite being drawn against Aviva Premiership champions Exeter Chiefs and big-spending Montpellier.

And when asked if Saracens’ quarter-final clash with Leinster was bigger than a Test match, Goode replied: “It probably will be for me because I haven’t played in many of them recently.

“I think certainly it will be a huge game. We are talking about the best players in the world on that field, from Lions players and internationals. So it is a huge game, one that we are relishing. What a place to go and play. To go to Dublin against the form side is a great challenge for this group.”

As Goode hinted at, he has barely played any Test rugby since Eddie Jones took charge of England in 2015 despite excelling at club level.

Goode last played for the Red Rose back in November 2016 and he has confessed he was one of the few people disappointed to see Jones sign a new contract until 2021.

“Well, honestly, I guess [I was] a bit disappointed really,” Goode said. “I don’t want to come across like I am whingeing – far from it. It’s Eddie’s decision, he’s the coach and an extremely good coach. I am very lucky to be at a club like Saracens who are consistently in these big games, which are as close to Test match rugby as you can get.”

Munster will be the first Irish province into Champions Cup quarter-final action when they host Toulon at Thomond Park on Saturday, March 31st (3.15pm) while Connacht’s Challenge Cup quarter-final against Gloucester is fixed for The Sportsground on the same day (1pm).

CHAMPIONS CUP quarter-finals (all times Irish): Friday, March 30: Quarter-final 2: Scarlets v La Rochelle, Parc y Scarlets (5.30pm); Saturday, March 31: Quarter-final 3: Munster v Toulon, Thomond Park (3.15pm); Sunday, April 1st: Quarter-final 4: Clermont Auvergne v Racing 92, Stade Marcel-Michelin (1pm); Quarter-final 1: Leinster v Saracens, Aviva Stadium, 3.30pm. Semi-finals: Leinster/Saracens v Scarlets/La Rochelle, Munster/Toulon v Clermont Auvergne; Racing 92 (Weekend April 21/22)

CHALLENGE CUP quarter-finals (all times Irish) Friday, March 30: Quarter-final 1: Pau v Stade Francais Paris, Stade du Hameau (8pm); Quarter-final 4: Newcastle Falcons v Brive, Kingston Park (8pm); Saturday, March 31: Quarter-final 3: Connacht v Gloucester, The Sportsground, (1pm); Quarter-final 2: Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues, BT Murrayfield (5.45pm). Semi-finals: Pau/Stade Francais Paris v Edinburgh/Cardiff Blues; Connacht v Gloucester v Newcastle/Brive (Weekend April 21/22)