Sarries on the brink

Alex Goode: on the burst for Saracens

Saracens virtually secured a Heineken Cup quarter-final berth with a 20-16 victory over Biarritz at Vicarage Road.

Ben Spencer scored the only try for the English champions, with Owen Farrell kicking five penalties.

Saracens need just a single point in Treviso next weekend in the final round of games in pool five, after moving five points clear of both Biarritz and Ospreys.

Farrell showed the composure that has earned him an England call-up to land his fifth penalty three minutes from time to seal the win.

Saracens had led 14-6 at the interval courtesy of a try from scrum-half Spencer and Farrell's first three penalties before Biarritz came back at them in the second half.

Dimitri Yachvili scored all of the points for Biarritz, including a charge-down try, as the French visitors pushed Saracens to the wire and earn a losing bonus point.

Saracens certainly looked as if they had benefited from their week's warm-weather training in Cape Town as they hit Biarritz with a ferocious forwards performance and some dazzling back play.

The French visitors twice took the lead with penalties from Yachvili, either side of a strike from Farrell, before Saracens capitalised on a mistake to score the opening try.

Yachvili tried to force a pass in midfield but the ball went to ground and Saracens counter-attacked through David Strettle, Ernst Joubert and Chris Wyles.

The American wing was halted but Spencer darted from the base of the ruck, deftly evading three tackles before diving over to push Saracens into the lead.

Farrell missed with the touchline conversion but Saracens, with their pack on top and their potential England midfield of Charlie Hodgson, Brad Barritt and Farrell to the fore, kept Biarritz under pressure.

Threat

Alex Goode threatened from full-back with one break before lock Mouritz Botha, another member of England's Six Nations plans, picked off an interception and charged downfield.

Strettle cut in off his wing and almost broke clear but Biarritz were penalised for being offside at the ruck and Farrell extended Saracens' lead.

The Saracens pack, with South African legend John Smit at hooker and Carlos Nieto preferred on the tight-head, were on top and won a penalty on half-way that Farrell converted to secure a 14-6 lead at the interval.

The tempo rose in the early exchanges of the second half as Biarritz threatened, working a platform for Marcelo Bosch to attempt a drop-goal which drifted just wide.

Saracens' quick line speed was making life difficult for Biarritz but on the back of an improving kicking game they worked their way back downfield.

Goode collected a high ball outside his 22 but he was quickly swallowed up and Peter Stringer, who had been sent on for Spencer, saw his box kick charged down by Yachvili.

The Biarritz scrum-half followed up and muscled his way ahead of Goode to touch down and then convert to bring his side back to within a single point.

Farrell eased Saracens' nerves with his fourth penalty but only briefly, with Yachvili responding in kind after Smit's high tackle on Biarritz hooker Arnaud Hegny.

But with three minutes remaining the Saracens centre, called into England's Six Nations squad this week, drilled over his fifth penalty to seal victory and almost certainly a place in the last eight.