Goode calls on Sarries to clear mental hurdle
SARACENS full-back Alex Goode insists his team-mates must overcome a mental barrier to beat Toulouse in Sunday’s crucial Heineken Cup clash.
The French side, four-times champions of Europe, emerged with a narrow 17-16 win when the top two teams in Pool 3 met at Wembley in October.
And Goode feels a full 80-minute performance from the Aviva Premiership Rugby leaders can ensure they triumph this time.
“If the game at Wembley taught us anything it is that we need to be switched on for the whole game,” he said. “We dominated that match against a top side that are full of internationals, so this time it is a case of making sure we finish off the job.
“Our concentration has to be spot on for the full 80 minutes but if we don’t go into our shells and we back ourselves, then there’s no doubt in my mind that we can go there and win it.”
Harlequins remain on course to write their name into the record books as they bid to become the first side to reach the Heineken Cup knockout stages after losing their first two Pool games.
To do so Quins must navigate their way past Clermont tomorrow and, while they lost 23-16 in the reverse fixture in France, captain Chris Robshaw still has fond memories of the clash.
“It was a game which got our season back on track when we went over to Clermont,” Robshaw said.
“We’d had a slow start to the season but we went over and gave it a good go and managed to come away with a valuable bonus point.
“We know how dangerous Clermont can be. So we really cannot afford to switch off this weekend and we have to front up physically.”
Elsewhere, in the Amlin Challenge Cup London Irish host Lusitanos at the Madejski Stadium and London Wasps put their perfect record on the line against Bayonne in France.
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