Sarries have 'huge Heineken Cup ambitions'

Barritt and co fell at the pool stages on their return to Heineken Cup competition last season, losing to Leinster, ASM Clermont Auvergne and Racing Metro 92 in one of the toughest groups in the tournament's illustrious history.

But it's a far happier scenario for Sarries this time around as they sit just a point away from the last eight, with Barritt insisting they are determined to add the European title to their domestic crown.

"We were disappointed last year about being knocked out so early. We've got huge ambitions this year to do well in the Heineken Cup," said Barritt.

"We'll take it step by step but it's a massive ambition for the club to be up there with the Munster's and Toulouse's of this world.

"Beating Biarritz was a massively important win. We spoke during the week about it being almost a final. Biarritz and us were really the two teams that could progress from the pool so we really pulled out the stops and got a crucial win."

Saracens were pushed all the way at Vicarage Road by a Biarritz outfit who must secure maximum points against the Ospreys to have any chance of pipping their English rivals to top spot in Pool 5.

Sarries led 14-6 at the break but a converted try from Dimitri Yachvili made it a one-point ball game just before the hour mark.

Barritt's boys held firm in the face of a committed final flurry from the visitors, however, and the 25-year-old centre never envisaged the game - and likely quarter-final qualification - slipping away.

"To be really honest, I felt that we were in control throughout the 80 minutes," added Barritt.

"We've got a lot of resolve in the team built up over two and a half seasons. The guys believe in each other and we know we can come back from those kind of setbacks.

"That's something that comes with age and with experience within the team. The guys know how to pull themselves out of tough situations and this was another one of those occasions.

"But Biarritz are a world-class team and we were under no illusions that they were capable of bouncing back themselves."

Sarries now travel to Italy next Sunday knowing qualification is in their own hands and that a home tie in the last eight could well be theirs if they turn on the style at the Stadio di Monigo.

But Mark McCall's men won't be taking Treviso lightly, especially given the fact that the Italians have been beaten the likes of Munster, Leinster, Edinburgh and the Scarlets on home soil over the past 17 months and knocked over Biarritz back in December.

"We've still got another big game in Treviso this weekend. They've pulled some major scalps this year so it's definitely not going to be easy.

"They beat Biarritz down there in the Heineken Cup and have done well in the league. They're a well-coached side with talented players across the field and on their day they can beat anyone.

"I wouldn't say that not stopping Biarritz from getting a bonus point makes much of a difference. The team knows that a win next week is what we need if we want to be in line for a home quarter final. The extra win is really what we need."