sport news SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Saracens-plus is needed for England to rule the world

Saracens-plus is needed for England to rule the world Saracens' Champions Cup win is good news for England's World Cup challenge  A third of the Saracens team will now go to Eddie Jones' squad this summer It was nice to see the mutual respect between Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt Alex Goode, who was crowned European Player of the Year, was exceptional When the Sarries players join up with England they will bring a relentless style

By Sir Clive Woodward for the Daily Mail

Published: 22:37 BST, 12 May 2019 | Updated: 22:51 BST, 12 May 2019

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Saturday was a great day for English rugby — and for England's World Cup challenge.

A third of this Saracens team will now go to Eddie Jones' squad as European champions and bring a much-needed winning mentality, especially after the Six Nations.

Aside from the obvious stars, the two players I highlighted before the game, Liam Williams and Alex Lozowski, played really well. And Brad Barritt just seems to play in teams who win. 

Saracens' Champions Cup win is good news for England's World Cup challenge

Saracens' Champions Cup win is good news for England's World Cup challenge

There was a nice moment when Owen Farrell kicked Saracens level on half-time and Barritt waited to congratulate him while everyone else went down the tunnel. That said a lot about Barritt and the respect those two clearly have for each other.

Alex Goode, who after the game was crowned European Player of the Year, was exceptional again. He is in the same bracket as Danny Cipriani in that at any other time, with any other coach, he would be in the England starting team. Selection is an art not a science and unfortunately for Goode he just does not fit Eddie's thinking.

Would you pick him over Anthony Watson or Elliot Daly? If I'm honest, I wouldn't. Would I pick Farrell and George Ford above Cipriani? Definitely.

A third of the Saracens team will now go to Eddie Jones’ squad this summer

A third of the Saracens team will now go to Eddie Jones' squad this summer

When the Sarries players join up with England again they will bring a relentless, brutal style of play into the set-up. But the big question is — is that good enough to win a World Cup?

Can you beat France and Argentina with massive ball-carriers and an aggressive defence? Can you beat South Africa,

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