Andy Goode highlights space of Toulouse vulnerability forward of Saracens Investec Champions Cup showdown

The six-time Investec Champions Cup winners head to the StoneX Stadium on Sunday to take on a Sarries team reeling from a disappointing defeat to Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher PREM.

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Toulouse might be the most successful club in European history but Saracens need to take advantage of their dislike of 4G pitches this weekend, according to Andy Goode.

Captained by Antoine Dupont and with a star-studded line-up, the six-time Investec Champions Cup winners head to the StoneX Stadium on Sunday to take on a Sarries team reeling from a disappointing defeat to Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher PREM (live on Premier Sports 1 from 5pm ).

But while Goode, a two-time Champions Cup winner, acknowledges that Toulouse have set the standards in this competition in recent times, he believes Sarries’ artificial pitch could play into the hands of the home side, with the French giants having already lost away to Glasgow on a similar surface in Round 2.

“Toulouse don’t like playing on 4G pitches, they don’t do it at home, when they play on the few in France, they are a different team,” said Goode, who will be part of the Premier Sports punditry team providing live coverage of 15 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup matches this weekend.

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“We saw up at Glasgow, first half with the wind and rain at their backs, they were pretty powerful, but the second half, they were non-existent. So Sarries will have to make the most of home comforts.

“When you think of Saracens in this competition and the likes of Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Maro Itoje and Ben Earl, you’re expecting a big performance. Nothing will sharpen the mind like playing one of the top teams in the competition.

“I think the performance that Sarries put out at Leicester last week will do them a world of good.

“Up against a player like Dupont, if you fall off tackles, he’s gone. In and around the breakdown, they will be heightened from a defensive perspective. They will want to put pressure on him and they have the players.”

Goode has a busy weekend ahead, with the former Leicester and England fly-half kicking off punditry duties for Bath’s Friday night trip to Castres.

The current English champions were defeated in Toulon on their last trip to France, but Goode is backing them to conquer a tough Castres outfit at the Stade Pierre Antoine, in a must-win game for their knockout ambitions.

He added: “It’s a real test of their mettle. The last time they went to France, they lost to Toulon. If they want to be considered real contenders, which I thought after hammering Munster in Round 1, they really were, a true mark of a team is going to a place like Castres.

“It’s a real challenge for Bath, I think they will win and we’ll find out post-match if they are real contenders or if they are going to have to do it a real hard way.”

Goode is set to be an integral part of the Premier Sports line-up for their coverage of the Guinness Six Nations, after it was announced that the broadcaster will have five live matches in the 2026 edition of the tournament.

The agreement will see Premier Sports broadcast one match per round, delivering live coverage of key Championship fixtures involving Scotland and Wales.

And Goode has promised plenty of forthright opinion and a bit of fun on the coverage.

He added: “I am at a lot of the games working corporately but to cover it and be in front of the camera for Premier Sports will be a massive amount of fun, a privilege and it’s growing the stable that we have got at Premier – the URC, the Top 14, the Champions Cup, Japanese rugby.

“We’ll do our best to have fun with it and put on a good show.

“I’m massively pumped to be part of the team. We’re not covering any England games, I’m not sure how my reception will be in Edinburgh or Cardiff, but I’m looking forward to it.

“There is no point doing this job unless you’ve got an opinion to give. I’ll say what I see. You’ve got to give honest opinions and be true to yourself.”

Andy Goode joins Premier Sports’ TV team as rugby fans across the UK and Ireland tune into 15 live games from round three of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. A weekend of packed blockbuster action, includes Bath’s trip to Castres on Friday night, a heavyweight Leinster v La Rochelle clash on Saturday and a box-office Sunday treble featuring Harlequins v DHL Stormers, reigning champions Bordeaux Bègles hosting Northampton Saints and Saracens welcoming Toulouse. Big Games. Bigger Moments. Join in at premiersports.com from just £11.99 a month. @PremSports.tv