Recent Saracens defeats won’t mean a thing this Sunday, says Harlequins captain James Horwill

Big ambition | Quins skipper James Horwill wants to start December by building momentum
Henry Browne/Getty Images
Chris Jones1 December 2017

Saracens might have lost four games in a row for the first time in seven years, but Harlequins captain James Horwill is dismissing statistics as irrelevant as he prepares to lead his team against the champions of Europe at the Stoop on Sunday.

Two of those losses came in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, including a 30-29 home defeat by Quins. Mark McCall’s side then picked up losing bonus points in the 23-17 defeat at Gloucester and the 18-20 home reverse to Premiership champions Exeter.

Horwill’s men defeated Sarries 17-10 in this fixture last season - and with both teams about to head into the next round of Champions Cup matches, a win over the second-placed side would deliver much-needed momentum.

“Saracens are a quality side and have great depth,” said the former Australia skipper. “We don’t take much notice of recent form and expect them to be as good as they can be. They do their core things well. They are physical and use their big ball-carriers to get over the gain line, then guys like Owen Farrell use their deft touches in attack.”

Sarries’ defeats came while their sizeable international contingent were away and - apart from the injured Wales wing Liam Williams - the north London outfit will arrive in south-west London with all their Test players, including Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola. Williams has a groin injury, while former Springbok hooker Schalk Brits is out until the new year with a muscle problem, yet Sarries are still able to call upon Scotland wing Sean Maitland and Lions hooker Jamie George in those positions.

Given the horrendous run of injuries that has caused Quins so many selection problems, lock Horwill has little sympathy for any opposition team’s injury problems. James Chisholm’s three-week ban this week for a dangerous tip-tackle on Bath scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i is yet another problem for them to overcome, but at least they can welcome back their England men. Danny Care, Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown and Joe Marler return, while Lions tight-head prop Kyle Sinckler is also available, having served his seven-week ban for gouging.

“Danny has done really well, while Mike is that rock at the back of the England team and does that job for us as well, and Chris is the glue to keeps the group together,” said Horwill. “We have cup games against Ulster after this and it would be great to get some momentum into December.

“I have never been involved with a squad that has had such a high percentage of players injured and, hopefully, we can come through this. Discipline is also very important, and keeping 15 players on the pitch is something we need to be better at.”

London Irish head to in-form Gloucester tomorrow five points adrift of Worcester at the bottom of the Premiership, but director of rugby Nick Kennedy insists confidence has not been affected. “We are running our own race and need to be performing better,” he said. “It’s about us getting on the right side of results.”

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