We'll focus on ourselves says Sarries star

Clermont can boast a starting backline that features British & Irish Lions full back Lee Byrne, former All Black wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and four French regulars but Barritt believes Sarries' strong team ethic could set them on their way to a second semi-final in five years.

"Clermont are a terrific side. They were the Top 14 Champions two years ago and they're splattered with great talent," said in-form centre Barritt, who went head-to-head with fellow midfielders Aurelien Rougerie and Wesley Fofana when England stunned France in Paris last month.

"They can mix it in the forwards with some really big, physical guys and they've got a very talented backline. Of the current French crop of backs they've got (Morgan) Parra, Fofana, Rougerie and (Julien) Malzieu and in guys like Brock James and David Skrela they've got players who can control and dictate play.

"Both Rougerie and Fofana are terrific players. They've formed a great combination for club and country. We do our studies and analysis but when it comes to a game like this you've got to focus on what you want to do as a team first.

"We obviously have our defensive principles and that's one of our strengths here at Saracens. They're both great players like I say but it's about us imposing our game on them as well.

"This week is about everyone at Sarries buying into the team because, ultimately, a team performance will overshadow what any individual can do."

Sarries met Clermont in the group stages of last year's Heineken Cup, with Vern Cotter's Frenchmen winning both encounters.

Clermont triumphed 25-10 at the Stade Marcel Michelin and 24-14 in Watford as they progressed to the knockout stages of the Amlin Challenge Cup while Sarries' European season came to a premature end.

But Barritt insists lessons have been learnt from those particular match ups, with Sarries claiming English Premiership glory last term and securing five wins from six so far in this term's Heineken Cup.

"We're a lot more experienced and we've improved a lot tactically," added Barritt.

"We went to Clermont last year and went out to really impose our game on them. I think in terms of ball in play it may have looked pretty but it was probably a little bit tactically naive. I think we had 65 or 70 per cent possession but they got tries off the back of our naivety.

"I think we've come a long way in terms of how we impose the Saracens way on teams and that's definitely something that will stand us in good stead going into this game.

"It's a massive opportunity for us now at home to proceed to a Heineken Cup semi-final. It's a huge chance to take that next step in Europe."

Barritt has some positive memories of facing French sides in 2012 after he backed up a crucial European win over Biarritz Olympique with a similar success against the World Cup finalists in the penultimate fixture of the RBS 6 Nations.

But the affable and well-spoken 25-year-old insists the past will have no effect whatsoever on Sunday's clash.

The Heineken Cup is all about the here and now and Barritt knows the only certainty is that his team will have to improve on their showing in last weekend's narrow defeat to Harlequins at Wembley.

"You're only as good as your last game and every time you play someone it's a chance to get one over on them," continued Barritt, who missed last Saturday's fixture to be Best Man at his brother's wedding in his native South Africa.

"French teams can be brilliant so it was good to get one over on Biarritz but it doesn't have any bearing on this game. We need to be as hungry as we have been in the past.

"I've seen the reviews from the Harlequins game and it wasn't our best defensive display off the back of a brilliant display up in Sale. We'd like to think it's just a bump in the road.

"We've worked even harder this week to try and rectify those problems and there's still the same confidence going into this game. We're hungry for success in the Heineken Cup and so are Clermont."