Clermont Auvergne's Nick Abendanon vows to pile on the pain for Saracens

French lesson: Alivereti Raka races in to score Clermont’s opening try last night
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Chris Jones12 December 2017

Shell-shocked Saracens have been warned to expect another battering from Clermont Auvergne on Sunday.

On Monday, Sarries suffered a record home European defeat at the hands of the French Top 14 champions, dealing a serious blow to their hopes of winning the European Champions Cup for a third time in a row.

Sarries have now lost six games in succession in all competitions and former England full-back Nick Abendanon is determined to extend that run when the sides meet again in five days’ time.

Sarries captain Brad Barritt could miss the return fixture in France after being concussed, while scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth compounded the team’s problems after suffering an ankle injury.

The champions can still qualify for the knockout stages but are likely to have to get there as a best runner-up from Pool Two.

Abendanon has fired a warning at Saracens ahead of their second meeting
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Abendanon, one of Clermont’s most dangerous attacking weapons, revealed that the Champions Cup Final defeat to Saracens last May had left a “hole in our hearts” that will only be completely healed if they back up this emphatic win with another important victory.

“Sarries have been under a lot of pressure and we thought they would be there for the taking,” said the former Bath back. “The win is a big statement and a huge lift for us as a club because we came unstuck against Sarries last season and they are our bogey team. We have been looking to get one over on them and we are happy we have come here and done that. Benjamin Keyser (Clermont’s hooker) was saying there is a hole in our hearts after that final. We have plugged it with a good win and it will all be filled if we can do a job next weekend.

“There is probably a lot of disbelief that we scored six tries, but we had a great game plan to put them under pressure and things didn’t go their way with Barritt going off early and then Wigglesworth getting injured. They are key players for them.”

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall, who saw his side miss 37 tackles, said: “We have got three Champions Cup games and three Premiership games to try to find some form and get back to our true selves. That will be difficult to do quickly, but let’s see in six weeks’ time if we can be proud of how we have responded.”

The controversial build up to the game, following Sunday’s postponement due to safety fears following the heavy snowfall, led to the contest being played in front of just 2,661 fans — around 200 of them supporters of the French side.

Saracens ignored European Professional Club Rugby’s decision to play the tie behind closed doors and chairman Nigel Wray says he wants the tournament organisers to ensure the problem does not happen again.

“I thought it (the closed doors statement from EPCR) was outrageous,” said Wray. “It was not what had been discussed. It’s bad for the image of the Cup and we have got to have a plan where the decision is made much quicker.”

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