Mark McCall has played down any suggestion that Biarritz are poor travellers ahead of their winner-takes-all Heneiken Cup clash at Vicarage Road.

The Premiership champions host the French side on Sunday afternoon knowing a victory will put them into the last eight of the competition. But defeat will see the visitors assume control of the pool with just one match remaining.

Biarritz have failed to win their previous two away European games this season and are not renowned for being particularly strong on the road but Sarries’ director of rugby is adamant they are not a side to being taken lightly.

He said: “I’m not sure where you get they’re not great travellers.

“I think they have qualified for the knockout stages of the Heinken Cup most years for the last 12 or 13 seasons so they must have won some away games. They won against Agen on Friday night which is a very difficult place to go.

“Dimitri Yachvili has come back in the last two weeks and he’s been instrumental in both of the victories they’ve had. They’re a different club when he plays.

“Although they are third bottom in the Top 14 that’s not their rightful place,” McCall continued. “They’ve got a lot of good players. They beat us out there. It’s a winner-takes-all game so for them it’s absolutely massive as well. But we hope to be unbelievably well prepared for the game.”

The Men in Black lost narrowly in Biarritz back in November but a late try from Alex Goode gave them a crucial bonus point.

Saracens last faced their French counterparts at home in 2008 when a convincing 45-16 win set them on the way to a semi-final run, the best in their history, in the competition.