Sides meet again in France on Sunday, with Sarries looking for better after suffering heaviest European defeat

Ham & High: Clermont Auvergne fans outside Allianz Park ahead of the rearranged European Champions Cup match against Saracens (pic: Duncan Bech/PA)Clermont Auvergne fans outside Allianz Park ahead of the rearranged European Champions Cup match against Saracens (pic: Duncan Bech/PA) (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Jamie George says Saracens must react to Monday’s chastening European Champions Cup defeat at home to Clermont Auvergne when the sides meet in France on Sunday.

Sarries were torn apart at Allianz Park as the reigning French Top 14 champions ran riot, scoring six tries in a 46-14 rout.

George Kruis crossed late on for the north Londoners, who were awarded a penalty try in the first half, but it proved scant consolation.

The sides meet again at the Stade Marcel-Michelin on Sunday, with Saracens in need of a win to keep their hopes of topping Pool Two alive.

And after suffering their heaviest ever defeat in European competition on Monday, George knows the Men in Black must hit back at Clermont.

“We need a response, we as players need to rectify those mistakes next week; we care about the club so much that we will find a solution,” he told the club website.

Saracens’ build-up to the match was far from ideal after the game was put back a day, having initially been due to take place on Sunday afternoon.

The arctic weather that gripped the south of England saw the match called off on Sunday owing to the roads around Allianz Park being treacherous.

With the match delayed over 24 hours to a 5.30pm kick-off on Monday, there was a sparse crowd present to witness the defeat.

Much of the noise was created by French fans who had stayed over to watch the rearranged match, but George says Saracens cannot blame the defeat on the bizarre situations that engulfed the fixture.

“The most frustrating thing is that preparation leading into the game was excellent, we felt we were in a really good position and the coaches did a really good job,” he added.

The defeat was a sixth in a row in all competitions for Saracens, who have not won since beating London Irish in the Aviva Premiership on October 28.

George and his colleagues will hope that rotten run finally comes to a halt on Sunday, but it will be tough at what is widely regarded as one of European rugby’s most intimidating venues.

Clermont’s last home defeat in Europe came back in January 2016 when they lost 37-28 to French rivals Bordeaux-Begles, but Sarries will look to end that streak on Sunday.