Marcelo Bosch has the tools to throw a spanner in the works for Jonny Wilkinson's Heineken Cup finale

 
Farewell: Wilkinson will make his last competitive appearance on British soil on Saturday
Chris Jones23 May 2014

Jonny Wilkinson will attempt to end his remarkable career with an historic Double by leading Toulon to a successful defence of their Heineken Cup title against Saracens tomorrow and defeating Castres in the Top14 Final a week later.

It is a heavy workload for England’s World Cup-winning fly-half but Saracens and Argentina centre Marcelo Bosch is about to be kept even busier.

Bosch’s schedule also includes a Double bid — Sarries are in the Premiership Final against Northampton on May 31 — and he then heads back to Buenos Aires to marry fiancee Augustina on June 6, followed by a week’s honeymoon in Mexico. The 30-year-old will then link up with the Argentina squad at their training camp in Florida to prepare for their June Tests at home to Ireland and Scotland, playing both teams twice. “It’s going to be a hell of a month,” he said.

Bosch grabbed the headlines last month by kicking a 58metre penalty for Sarries as they defeated Northampton 28-24 with the ball clearing the dead ball line making the distance it travelled closer to 70m. Not even Wilkinson, the greatest kicker the world has seen, can match that power and with the Millennium Stadium roof closed for tomorrow’s final, Bosch could be Sarries’ match winner from deep inside his own half.

Bosch, who joined the club last autumn, said: “Jonny Wilkinson is a legend in the sport and always performs in the big matches. Last season he kicked all the points in the 24-12 semi-final win over Saracens, who conceded penalties under pressure. He can score from anywhere and we cannot give them any cheap points tomorrow. Jonny can also kick the ball a long distance and I have been practising a lot in training.

“Owen Farrell and Charlie Hodgson are our kickers but I can kick the ball a bit further and so that gives me the chance to try from longer range. I train for those moments. I only have a short run-up and have never tried to go back any further. It comes from playing a lot of football in Argentina and it’s a natural style.

“It is incredible for me to be playing in two finals for Saracens having only joined the club in October. Against Clermont in the semi-final everything went well and our intensity and hunger for the entire 80 minutes was very good. When we play like that we are one of the best teams in Europe and the same is true for Toulon, who have many great players and are the reigning champions. But, if we play to our potential then we have a very good chance.”

The 25-cap international joined the club in October after representing his country in the Rugby Championship. Equally at home at fly-half, centre or full-back, he began his career with Belgrano Athletic Club in Buenos Aires before moving to Biarritz in 2006, making more than 100 appearances for the Basque club before joining Saracens where he has appeared in 19 games this season. Bosch has become a key weapon for Sarries whose midfield resources have been badly affected by injuries to England’s Joel Tomkins and Scotland’s Duncan Taylor.

Bosch has been an inspired signing and despite an initial bedding-in period, he is now forming a formidable midfield trio with Farrell and Brad Barritt and they face one of the greatest defensive challenges of the season when they come up against Wilkinson, Wallaby Matt Giteau and French battering ram Mathieu Bastareaud tomorrow.

Bosch said: “I’ve played against Bastareaud many times and he is trying to be a more complete player while still being very physical — he is massive! We will need two players to tackle him because sometimes it is tough for one to stop him.

“We have a very good defence which is demanding and different to playing for Argentina and Biarritz. You must trust the player outside you and now it is more natural for me.”

Saracens’ defence was superb in the 46-6 win against Clermont and if they can replicate that intensity then Wilkinson will be denied a second successive Cup triumph and Sarries owner Nigel Wray will finally have the trophy he has always craved.

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