Sarries power out a warning with blitz over Biarritz

The self-styled Men in Black left Biarritz to contemplate their darkest day in Europe with a breathtaking second-half onslaught at Vicarage Road.

Winging it: Richard Haughton tests the Biarritz defence

Four tries after the break brought the home side five points and ensured they are all but through to the last eight for the first time.

In the process they inflicted unprecedented pain on Biarritz, who endured their heaviest defeat in this tournament and their worst beating in all competitions since 1999.

While Patrice Laguisquet's crop of Test thoroughbreds, hamstrung by negative tactics, will depart after the pool stage for the first time in six years, Saracens could even go into the quarter-finals as top seeds if they win in Glasgow on Friday.

Their commanding position in Pool Four is just reward for a remarkable result which will send tremors around Europe. The Continent's leading sides will rightly fear that if Alan Gaffney's side can obliterate one of the best defences in the business, they are a serious threat to the established order.

Saracens have scored more Heineken Cup points this season than anyone else — both on the pitch and in the pool tables. No wonder ambitions in Watford are being hastily revised.

Asked if his team could become champions of Europe, Saracens captain Neil de Kock said: 'Absolutely. We came into this competition believing that if we performed the way we can, we could challenge for the title. After today, I think there will be a lot of belief in the squad that we really are contenders.

"For us, it's about getting into the quarter-finals, then pushing for that home quarter-final. In knockout games, anything can happen, and we believe we have as much chance as anyone else in this competition."

For Saracens, thrashing Biarritz was also the perfect response to a perceived injustice.