Saracens

10 Mar 2010 - 16:15

It’s semi-final time in the LV=Cup on Sunday with Saracens facing Northampton Saints and Cardiff Blues welcoming Gloucester across the Severn Bridge with a place in the final up for grabs.

With the first trophy of the season to be decided and a Heineken Cup qualification place up for grabs for English teams, it adds extra incentive to the weekend’s games.

LV=Cup Semi Final Previews

Cardiff Blues v Gloucester Rugby
Sunday 14th March at Cardiff City Stadium, 12.15pm
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)

Cardiff Blues lie in 8th spot in the Magners League table and lost their five game winning run in all competitions on Sunday with their 20-29 home reversal to Leinster.

The reigning Cup holders Blues’ only defeat in the LV= Cup this season was 11-12 at home to London Irish in round two. The Blues have won ten of their last eleven home games against English teams in all tournaments.

Gloucester are in 7th place in the Guinness Premiership and have lost their two most recent away fixtures: 11-33 at Leicester and 19-24 at Wasps. Gloucester began this season’s LV= Cup with a pair of defeats but followed this up with back to back wins against Worcester and Harlequins.

This is a repeat of last year’s final at Twickenham when the Blues won 50-12. The two teams have already met in the LV= Cup this season with the Blues winning a thriller 26-25 in the opening round at Kingsholm thanks to a 79th minute Ceri Sweeney penalty goal. Cardiff Blues have won on the last four occasions that the two teams have met.

Northampton Saints v Saracens
Sunday 14 March at Franklin’s Gardens, 16.15pm
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)

Northampton Saints are in 2nd position in the Guinness Premiership, having lost just one of their last six matches in all competitions. The Saints have a formidable record at Franklin’s Gardens with a run of 18 straight victories since Newcastle won there 19-13 on 28 February 2009.

Northampton remain the only side with a 100% winning record in this season’s LV= Cup as they aim to go one step further than last year when they were eliminated at this stage by Cardiff Blues.

Saracens are hot on the heels of the Saints just one place behind the East Midlanders in the Premiership table. Sarries have however slipped to three straight defeats and have not won on the road since their visit to Leeds in the LV= Cup on 29 January.

The two teams have already met twice this season with Saracens victorious 19-16 at Wembley Stadium in the Guinness Premiership on 12 September and Northampton triumphing 19-3 at Franklin’s Gardens in the LV= Cup on 14 November. Sarries have not won at Franklin’s Gardens since a 35-13 scoreline in the Premiership on 18 November 2006.