Saracens will respond against Saints, says England ace Barritt

Brad Barritt says Saracens will respond in the right way against Saints (picture: Linda Dawson)

The England centre believes last Saturday’s 13-9 Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Clermont Auverne in St Etienne will unite his team.

Second-placed Saracens head to Milton Keynes aiming to close what is currently a six-point gap between them and Aviva Premiership table-topping Saints.

And Barritt is ready to help his team replicate the intensity levels that saw them come agonisingly close to reaching a European final last weekend.

“We showed against Clermont we can play at that high level and now we need to bring that to the Premiership against Northampton where we are still alive and we want to secure a home play-off semi-final,” Barritt told the London Evening Standard.

“I believe the Clermont game can be a galvanising force because we took a lot of confidence out of the performance.

“We have put together a good run in the Premiership and to narrowly lose to Clermont is not a major setback.

“It is not a case of going back to the drawing board by any stretch.

“It’s a hallmark of this team that we can refocus and regroup very quickly and we will put in a great performance against Northampton.”