DEFENDING champions Saracens are hot favourites to beat Glasgow in the Champions Cup quarter-final on Sunday - but their winger Sean Maitland reckons it’s the Warriors who have the best attack in the competition.

Scotland international Maitland left Glasgow two years ago and spent a season with London Irish before moving on to Saracens. The team never made it out of the pool stages in Europe when he was there, so he was delighted for his former team-mates when they got through to the last eight this season as one of the three best runners-up from the five groups.

“They’ve been absolutely class,” the 28-year-old said. “They’ve played the best style of attacking rugby in the whole of Europe. It’s been great to watch them play, and score tries.

“Obviously it’s been good to see them progress through Europe, especially as I was there for three years, and coming up just shy in my last year was tough to take. But I know a lot of the guys, so I’m just happy they’ve ticked that box and got through into the European knockout stages.”

“It’s massive for Glasgow to finally get out of their group, but it’s a one-off game, it’s knockout rugby. Glasgow are bringing busloads of fans down and I’m sure it’s going to give them inspiration and motivation when they see how many fans have made it all the way down from Glasgow. But then our home crowd has been massive for us as well this season, so I think that playing at home will give us a big boost.”

Home advantage meant nothing the last time the Warriors played in England - back in January, when they beat Leicester Tigers 43-0 to make it through to the quarter-finals behind Munster. Saracens are in much better form than Leicester were then, but that result still made everyone in English rugby sit up and take notice of just how well Glasgow played.

“Yeah, that was a hell of a game,” Maitland added. “Everyone here thought it was going to be a lot closer than it was, although Glasgow needed to win to qualify so they really showed up. Leicester were going through their own problems and had obviously already been knocked out, but to go to Welford Road and win was a hell of a result. I know how tough that is to do from my time with Sarries.”

The pitch at Allianz Park, Saracens’ home ground in north London, is an artificial surface like Scotstoun. That should make for a fast game, and it should also help the Warriors feel a bit more at home. Even so, Saracens showed in their last match just how well they can play on a quick pitch, beating Bath 53-10 last Sunday in an outstanding display of attacking rugby.

“You might have seen the game at the weekend when we chucked the ball around more than people are used to seeing us do,” Maitland said. “I’m sure the Glasgow team are going to come down with an attacking mindset, and the weather’s meant to be nice, so hopefully it’ll be a good, open game of rugby.”

Glasgow head coach Gregor Townsend will announce his team for the match today. Most of the players who missed out on the win against Connacht last week, either because of minor injury or just through being rested, are expected to return for Sunday.