Resurgent Saracens Rediscover Champions Cup Edge to Shock Toulouse

Saracens delivered a performance reminiscent of their Champions Cup glory years as they produced a ferocious display to defeat Toulouse 20–14 and reignite their European campaign.

Seven years after lifting their last continental title, this was a victory to savour for the north London club, who snarled with the intensity and cohesion that once defined their dominance. Having been sharply criticised by director of rugby Mark McCall following a limp defeat to Leicester last weekend, Saracens responded with a display of grit and collective resolve against one of Europe’s traditional powerhouses.

The win lifts Saracens to third place in Pool 1 and leaves them with a genuine chance of topping the group should they secure a bonus-point victory away to Glasgow next weekend. In contrast, back-to-back defeats have complicated matters for Toulouse, with Ugo Mola’s side now facing an anxious battle for qualification ahead of a decisive home fixture against Sale.

Saracens captain Maro Itoje revealed that a frank and honest week of reflection had helped refocus the squad.

“The frustrating thing this year is that we haven’t been performing in the way we expect of ourselves,” Itoje said. “We didn’t hide from the issues. We spoke openly about where we are as a team and what we need to do to improve.

“There is no soft side that wins the Champions Cup. Every successful team has grit and toughness, and that is something we have to show every time we play.”

Played in difficult weather conditions and in front of a crowd that included a strong travelling Toulouse contingent, the contest was a throwback to the attritional, physical battles that once defined Europe’s premier club competition. After earlier concerns about the competition’s competitiveness were raised by Harlequins’ emphatic 61–10 victory over a heavily rotated Stormers side, this encounter restored its edge.

Despite being without three international full-backs in Ange Capuozzo, Juan Cruz Mallía and Matías Remue, Toulouse still fielded a side brimming with quality. Blair Kinghorn and Thomas Ramos operated from the back, but the creative heartbeat remained scrum-half Antoine Dupont, who looked sharp after returning to form following a lengthy absence.

It was Dupont who orchestrated the opening try, combining with Ramos before releasing Kinghorn, who crossed unchallenged to cap a dominant opening quarter for the visitors.

Saracens, however, grew into the contest when Theo McFarland disrupted a Dupont box kick, creating the platform for a sustained attack that ended with Rotimi Segun diving into the left corner. The momentum swung decisively soon after, with Alex Lozowski making amends for a missed opportunity by bursting through the Toulouse defence and sending Segun over for his second try.

When Tom Willis powered over from close range shortly before half-time, Saracens had built a 10-point cushion that proved vital as the conditions began to favour Toulouse. The visitors responded through Matthis Lebel, but Saracens’ experience came to the fore in the closing stages.

Introduced together in the 53rd minute, Owen Farrell and Ben Earl added composure and control, with Farrell slotting a crucial penalty to keep Toulouse at arm’s length. Led by the tireless Itoje, Saracens managed the final 20 minutes superbly, denying their opponents the accuracy required for a late comeback and sealing a statement victory.

Elsewhere in the Champions Cup, Salesi Rayasi’s hat-trick inspired Bordeaux-Bègles to a 50–28 win over Northampton Saints in a repeat of last season’s final, sending the defending champions to the top of Pool 4. Henry Pollock scored twice for Saints but was jeered by the home crowd following heated exchanges in last year’s Cardiff decider.

Munster were edged out 27–25 by Toulon at the Stade Félix-Mayol, where Marius Domon struck a late match-winning penalty, while Marcus Smith starred as Harlequins ran in nine tries in a 61–10 rout of a Stormers side that rested the majority of their Springboks.