'We know': Glasgow Warriors fully aware of prize at stake as Scotland pair face off

The game is a sell-out and rightly so as both teams chase their own specific goals in the final match of Pool 1.

Glasgow have already secured qualification for the round of 16 but now have their eyes on another prize: a bonus-point win over Sarries which will guarantee their status as one of two top-ranked teams left in the tournament, giving them home country advantage for as long as they last in the knockout phase, up to and including the semi-finals.

Rory Darge, the Warriors back-row forward, admitted it was a huge incentive.

“We all know it's there,” said the Scotland flanker. “We've spoken about it and it's definitely something you want to aim for.”

Glasgow are unbeaten in all competitions at Scotstoun this season, winning six from six, but Darge knows they still need to front up against opponents who revitalised their own Champions Cup campaign with a win over Toulouse last weekend.

“Being at home is an advantage but we know that Saracens are coming and they can play well away from home and they can bring that intensity,” said Darge. “Being at home doesn't obviously win the game for you. You have to go and perform as well as you can.”

Saracens have all but qualified but know a win in Glasgow will guarantee them a home game in the last 16. They have pepped up their team with the addition of Owen Farrell and Ben Earl, two British and Irish Lions, at inside centre and No 8, respectively, joining fellow Lions Maro Itoje, Jamie George and Elliot Daly in the starting XV. Fergus Burke continues at fly-half and fellow Scotland cap Andy Onyeama-Christie is on the bench.

Darge takes on a Scotland teammate

Darge doesn’t think he’s faced Onyeama-Christie before and is looking forward to the challenge against his international back-row team-mate.

“He's a great player obviously. I think that Saracens back row as a whole, they interchange the five of them, two on the bench and the three starters. I’m looking forward to that challenge. As I've said, he is a great player and he's been showing that in recent weeks.”

Gregor Townsend will name his Scotland Six Nations squad on Tuesday and Darge and Onyeama-Christie will both be hoping to be included. It is an area of the squad where competition is fierce, with Darge’s Glasgow team-mates Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Euan Ferrie and Gregor Brown all vying for selection. There is also now competition from the east, with Edinburgh tyros Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas both putting their hands up in recent weeks. Darge welcomes the challenge.

“It's great isn't it?” he said. “The young guys have stepped up and played really well. I'm only 25 but these guys are even younger and showing that it doesn't matter, you can play well at the top level. It can only really be good for the squad as a whole. Competition raises the game of everyone and the end product is the best players playing.”

Both Glasgow and Sarries got the better of Toulouse during the pool phase, not something many predicted when the draw was made, and it is a measure of how impressive the Warriors have been that Burke thinks the trip to Scotstoun will be a tougher game than the one they had against the French aristocrats.

“Glasgow are flying, a team full of internationals, in Glasgow they don't lose many there,” said the Saracens stand-off.

“I personally think it's going to be potentially a greater challenge than what we had on the weekend. They're unbeaten in this competition and I think they're up there in the URC as well.

“They've got a good core group of players and they play a good brand of rugby so full respect for what they're about.”

Tonight’s game is the final match of the pool phase and the round of 16 will be clarified at its conclusion. The top four in each pool qualify, with each club ranked in descending order. The pool winners will be ranked one to four, the second-placed clubs five to eight, the third-placed clubs nine to 12, and the fourth-placed clubs 13 to 16.

The top eight will have home advantage, with the No 1 ranked club playing the No 16 side, No 2 versus No 15, No 3 versus No 14 and so on. The round of 16 ties will be played on April 3-5.