Rhodes praises team spirit

Saracens flanker Michael Rhodes has praised the togetherness of the side ahead of the European Champions Cup final against Clermont.

The sides do battle on Saturday at Murrayfield for European Rugby’s most coveted prize.

Rhodes was named Saracens’ Players’ Player of the Year at their club awards last week and will appear in his third major final
for the club since arriving from the Stormers in 2015.

The 29-year-old helped his side to the Premiership Rugby and Champions Cup double last year. And Rhodes says the atmopshere surrounding the squad is abuzz with excitement ahead of their latest major final.

“It is hugely exciting to be getting ready to go up there and play in the final as it always is,” Rhodes told Premiership Rugby.

“We will try and keep it as normal as possible around training but there will definitely be a sense of heightened excitement around the place.

“The week of a final is a funny thing because you try and do everything as you normally would but there is definitely a background sense of increased preparation that is lingering.

“The closeness and togetherness of the squad is always important in a team, we are quite lucky that the togetherness of the team is something that we never really have to work on.

“It is something that is natural, all the guys are great mates and really look out for each other. We have had some tough games, the away win in Toulon and subsequent European games where we have pulled through.”