Tuesday 16 May 2017 12:59, UK
Former England and British and Irish Lions centre Will Greenwood has dubbed Saracens the "best of a generation" after they won their second successive Champions Cup on Saturday.
Tries from Chris Ashton, George Kruis and Alex Goode, along with three Owen Farrell penalties, clinched a 28-17 victory for Saracens over Clermont Auvergne at Murrayfield in a breathtaking final.
Clermont, so often the bridesmaids in finals over the years, scored two tries of their own in Edinburgh, including a sensational pitch length score which was eventually touched down by Nick Abendanon.
But a late penalty miss by fly-half Camille Lopez left them too much to do in the final five minutes and consigned them to a third European Cup final defeat, and 15th final defeat in all competitions since 1936.
In winning the European Cup back-to-back, Mark McCall's Saracens have joined a select group of clubs, and Greenwood has termed them a special squad of players.
"I think you can start to talk about them as the best of their generation at this precise moment in time," Greenwood told Sky Sports News HQ.
"They are only the fourth team to win back-to-backers. Leicester 2001 and 2002, Leinster at the back end of the noughties and then we drift into the Toulon era where they went three on the trot.
"But to go on the double and have the chance to win the double-double, because they won the domestic trophy again last year, and in amongst that, to provide so many players to the England team. Not only are they juggling hats, they are away from their club and winning nearly a world record with England.
"They've carried a bucket full of injuries this year. The Vunipola brothers, Mako and Billy, have both been out with knee problems. George Kruis missed a long period of the season. He talked to us after the game and said he's almost had a sabbatical this year.
"So to be able to do all that, simultaneously, is a quite extraordinary feat. I just think it's almost impossible in the modern era to do the double-double such are the challenges and demands on your time at international level, whilst in the background six of them are going on the Lions tour and would have had a whole host of things to deal with mentally and psychologically in order to compartmentalise where they are, who they're with, what they are doing now.
"It's like a Tommy Cooper impression! Which hat are they wearing today, and yet each time they come out smiling!"
At international level, England boss Eddie Jones has surrounded himself with former Saracens players and coaches in Steve Borthwick and Paul Gustard - something Greenwood says is no coincidence.
"There can be no doubt at all that Eddie Jones has built this England team, this number two ranked team in the world which is providing so many Lions, on the shoulders of the work that Mark McCall has done with his variety of coaches," Greenwood said.
"Initially Borthwick and Gustard, now he's moved on, they have been the backbone of Eddie Jones' team."
Such has been the intensity of their play and sheer dominance over the last two seasons, it has been widely denoted that Saracens would match most Test sides, and it is their attitude to matches that Greenwood highlights as unique.
"Saracens would turn up on the field believing they would beat England," he added. "And I think that's what makes them such a good team.
"They come out of every changing room believing they are going to win. Twenty minutes before the Champions Cup final on Saturday, they were playing crossbar challenge.
"You are supposed to be in a zen like state of preparation: 'this is the biggest game of my life right here, right now', and Brad Barritt spoke about it afterwards. They've found this ability to understand that it's only a game, and to treat each game initially on its own merits, and with that have that ability to relax.
"That is not a PR stunt. To be able to back that up time and time again. Greatness. You have to talk to about this Saracens team as great now.
"How ever you think of shutting them down, they find another way to beat you."
