Paul Gustard salutes ‘greatest defensive display’ as Jacques Burger is king for a day

 
Hungry like a wolf: Jacques Burger makes one of his 27 tackles on Saturday
Chris Jones28 April 2014

Defence coach Paul Gustard described Saracens’ 46-6 destruction of Clermont as their greatest performance and then challenged his men to produce something even better in the Heineken Cup final.

Sarries turned their semi-final into a comprehensive victory achieved by a rock-solid defence that saw them put in 193 tackles compared to the French team’s 56. They scored six tries — with Chris Ashton scoring twice to create a tournament record of 11 — despite having just 32 per cent of possession. Now they have to try to inflict the same suffocating display in the final against a Toulon team that defeated Munster 24-16 yesterday.

Gustard said: “Our defensive performance was as good as I have ever seen and the win was born out of great defensive work. We are proud to have made a first Heineken Cup final and ready for the challenge of facing Toulon. We are going to have step up our level again.”

Gustard is the man behind Sarries’ fabled ‘Wolf Pack’ defence and their leader on Saturday was Jacques Burger, who made 27 tackles and was named man of the match.

“I came up with the idea of the Wolf Pack and it has worked for us — people hunting together in defence,” said Gustard.

“Our players have really bought into it and we have merchandise on T-shirts and a King of Wolf Town for the top performer and that was Jacques against Clermont.

“He is a freak of nature and like a wolf — raggedy looking , keeps hunting and ferocious when he’s going for you. He is the most fearless and courageous player I have ever seen.

“Jacques puts his face where other people wouldn’t put their hands and to come back from his horrific knee realignment was amazing but he loves the game so much. He has invented a new tackle — the face tackle. For 18 months he battled through rehab and also had to get shoulder surgery at the same time as well as his knee operation and it is inspiring to see him playing.”

Burger is happy just to be playing again following his knee reconstruction operation. He needs to ice his leg for nine hours during the day just to be able to train and play.

Burger said: “People think I’m too dumb to feel pain. I don’t think I am tougher than anybody. I have got a good attitude — and a face that hides pain well.”

Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked all but three of Toulon’s points yesterday, expects Sarries to pose a big threat to his side’s hopes of successfully defending their title at the Millennium Stadium on May 24. “To beat Clermont Auvergne with a scoreline like that is incredible — it is normally the other way round with them,” said the England World Cup winner, whose side beat Sarries last season on their way to being crowned champions of Europe.

“We have an enormous amount of respect for them.”

Toulon lead the French Top 14 competition and Sarries are top of the English Premiership, proving that the best teams in Europe can take their domestic form into the Heineken Cup, and now Gustard has to ensure that his team maintain their standards.

Elsewhere, Harlequins and London Wasps fell at the semi-final stage of the Amlin Challenge Cup. Wasps were defeated 24-18 by Bath yesterday, while Harlequins were beaten 18-10 at Northampton.

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