Farrell knows Saracens face tough Chiefs task
Mike Rhodes of Saracens is tackled by Cardiff Blues' Willis Halaholo in the Heineken Champions Cup (pic: Simon Galloway/PA) - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Sarries won 26-14 at Cardiff Blues in European Champions Cup last weekend
Owen Farrell kicked 16 points for Saracens at Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Champions Cup (pic: Simon Galloway/PA) - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Saracens face arguably their toughest challenge of the season so far on Saturday when they visit Exeter Chiefs in the Gallagher Premiership.
The north Londoners head to Devon atop the standings and remain the only side in the division yet to be beaten this term.
That unbeaten record, though, will by sternly tested by a Chiefs side who have only lost once in the league this term and are in hot pursuit of Sarries in second.
The Allianz Park outfit, though, will hope to rack up a 23rd game without defeat in all competitions since losing to Leinster in last season’s European Champions Cup quarter-finals.
And though they have virtually swept all before them since, Saracens fly-half Owen Farrell has warned there is still more to come.
The 27-year-old told the club website: “Our form probably feels a lot better because we know how much more we have still in us.
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“We’ve won a few games now having not put in an 80-minute performance; we’ve seen it in glimpses, but it’s exciting to see where we can take it.”
Last weekend saw Saracens take another giant stride towards securing a home quarter-final in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup with a 26-14 success at Cardiff Blues.
Sean Maitland and Jamie George crossed for tries for the north Londoners, while Farrell added 16 points from the boot.
Like they had to the week before against Blues, Sarries had to recover from trailing at the break to triumph.
But Farrell feels he knows what the Allianz Park club must do if they are to avoid being behind at the break against Exeter.
“We want to let go a bit more because we were a bit tentative in the first half,” he added.
“When we let go in the second half, it showed in glimpses and we really took it up a notch in terms of intensity, getting after them and putting them under pressure. We want to do that from the off.
“There were some big moments in the game when I thought we did really well and our scrum went well too.
“To hold Cardiff out when we were a man down on our own line was brilliant, but we have to figure out how we can play like we did in the second half from the off.”
Saracens will hope it is a 23rd game unbeaten this weekend by beating Chiefs.
