Champions Cup loss end of era for Saracens with Farrell leaving
For Owen Farrell, and likely the Vunipola brothers Mako and Billy, the curtain fell on a glittering Investec Champions Cup career with Saracens at the weekend.
Because the trio of stalwart players – with over 600 Saracens, 250 England and 16 British and Irish Lions appearances between them – were dumped out of the continental competition by a brilliant Bordeaux Begles side.
And while the status quo would suggest there’s always next year to make amends for an early exit, that will not be the case this time around.
On the move
Should any of them feature in next year’s Champions Cup final they will do so for, in Farrell’s case, Racing 92 or, in the case of the brothers, prop Mako and No8 Billy, Montpellier.
Since the trio first appeared in the same Champions Cup season for Saracens, in 2013-14, they have seen themselves reach the knockout stages in every campaign besides 2020-21 and the following year in the Challenge Cup, following a forced relegation for salary cap breaches.
In four of their nine seasons in the competition the trio played in four finals, winning three and losing one.
Following a loss in the 2014 final – 23-6 to Toulon – the three internationals were key cogs in a four-year run that saw the club lift the famous trophy three times. They beat Racing 92 in 2016, Clermont in 2017 and Leinster in 2019.
But having been dealt their worst ever European defeat earlier in this year at the hands of Bordeaux – 55-15 in January – the French Top 14 side put another 45 points on the Londoners on Saturday in a fatal blow to Marc McCall’s hopes of leading his senior players to another European title before the band splits up for good.
Saracens dynasty
On their day Saracens can beat any team with ease – we saw how they dismantled Harlequins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium only last month – but they came unstuck on the Atlantic coast over the weekend and were seemingly unable to learn the harsh lessons forced upon them in their January clash with Bordeaux.
And in being sent home from their continental crusade with nothing to show for it, an iconic Saracens era comes to a close.
They may be littered with international talent to the envy of rivals in the Premiership and Europe, but three standard-bearers of the English game over the last decade will be away from these shores from now on, and that’s to the detriment of the game and Saracens.
Next year a new breed of Saracens will step up, such as Fergus Burke and Rhys Carre, who will look to continue the impressive record established by Farrell and colleagues.
The door has closed on an impressive era for the north Londoners in Europe, but another door may be about to open.