Ludlam: Saints can do something special at Sandy Park

The black, green and gold will be huge outsiders to reach the semi-finals as they go into the game at rampant Exeter on the back of a run of 10 defeats from their past 12 matches.

It is a sobering streak that has seen Saints slip from second to seventh in the Gallagher Premiership standings, while Exeter have continued to march on at the top.

And the Chiefs will be massive favourites to add to the misery of Chris Boyd’s men at Sandy Park this weekend.

But fiery flanker Ludlam said: “You look at sport in general and the beauty of it is that anything can happen on the day.

“We know no-one outside of our group expects us to go down there and get a result - and that makes it an exciting challenge for us.

“We feel there’s been pressure in the past to perform when people think we should win, but that’s not the case anymore.

“We feel that as a squad we are fully capable of going down there and getting a result.

“Whoever gets picked, they’re going to be crawling off the pitch before they walk off it and everything will go into that performance on Sunday.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

Saints suffered a 28-24 defeat in a hugely disappointing derby against local rivals Leicester Tigers at Welford Road last Sunday.

And Ludlam said: “It’s obviously frustrating.

“Things haven’t been going the way we wanted them to so we’re hurting from that.

“But we’re going to have to pick ourselves up and go again because we’re only three games away from a European trophy.

“We’re working hard at the moment and trying to put things right, but we’re a team struggling a little bit.

“But what an opportunity to get us back on track, by winning a European quarter-final at Sandy Park.

“It doesn’t get much bigger than that.”

It feels like a long time ago since Saints were last in European action.

Much has changed since they defeated Lyon 36-24 in January to secure a first win in France since 2011.

And Ludlam said: "It wasn't a perfect performance in any regard - we were pretty awful in the first half and then picked ourselves up in the second half.

"It was a mixed bag but that does feel like ages ago now.

"We're in a different place to back then but this is sport and I know no one but us as a team backs us to go down to Sandy Park and get a result.

"That in itself is an exciting thing.

"It's a challenge we're looking forward to and crazier things have happened.

"We're really looking forward to the challenge this week, even though it has been a while since our last hit-out in Europe."

Saints will be desperate to rediscover the kind of freedom they found when winning at Lyon.

But Ludlam insists pressure isn't piling up ahead of this weekend's encounter.

"I don't think it's pressure from the results before," he said.

"We know what we're capable of as a team and we're just forgetting at times the basic things that allowed us to play that expansive game.

"It is hard to pick yourself up and probably in the back of your head there are those confidence issues but we can't be feeling sorry for ourselves for too long because we're alive in a trophy still.

"We've got a chance to do something really special this evening and hopefully after that.

"We're down but we're not defeated and we've got to come out today champing at the bit and spitting blood.

"We're looking forward to the challenge.

"We're low on confidence definitely, but by no means are we going to roll over and take it."