Saracens number eight Billy Vunipola says the Men in Black must put last season’s near-misses behind them if they are to go one better this time around.

The Wolf Pack reached both the Premiership and Heineken Cup finals but came up short against Northampton Saints and Toulon to end the season empty handed.

Mark McCall’s side have secured their place in the last eight of the European Champions Cup, with a quarter-final tie away to Racing Metro scheduled for April, and are currently third in the Premiership.

However, Sarries have not displayed the same swashbuckling form as last season. An 18-6 defeat against Clermont Auvergne in their final Pool 1 fixture was enough to seal Saracens’ place in the last eight as one of the four best runners up.

But Vunipola accepts improvement is required going forward. He said: “It has been all right but we have got to try and improve going to Racing Metro. We have got to try and improve our game if we want to progress.

“It is not a massive thing. I think we have just got to be playing better than we are right now.

“I think every French team are tough opponents. We have just got to go there and play the best we can. They are a top team.”

The Brisbane-born 22-year-old added: “I think we have just got to put it behind us. We are thinking about this year, not last year, otherwise there is no space to improve.

“I think it just something you have got to put behind you and treat this season as a different one. If you get hung up on trophies and things like that then you lose the space to improve.”

With Saracens set to host second-placed Bath Rugby at Allianz Park on Sunday (1pm kick off), Vunipola’s focus will be on England’s second Six Nations fixture after featuring in the 21-16 win over Wales on Friday.

Vunipola was one of four Saracens players involved in Cardiff as Stuart Lancaster’s side rallied to overcome a ten-point deficit in their championship opener.

George Kruis and Vunipola both started for Lancaster’s injury-hit team, whilst Mako Vunipola and Richard Wigglesworth featured as replacements for the Red Rose.

Reflecting on the win, the 6ft 2in former Harrow School pupil said: “Obviously it was a great feeling to go to Wales and beat them. I think we were happy with the character showed to come back into the game to win it. The biggest challenge is now backing it up and not just beating Wales away.”

Asked if it would be hard to maintain the same intensity for Saturday’s clash with Italy at Twickenham (2.30pm kick off), Vunipola stated: “If you think that then I guess you should not really be here because this is a massive competition. Especially in the past few years where we have come second, we have got to try and win every game we play.

“They are not going to roll over and just let us win so we are going to have go and try to win the game. I think Ireland found it tough; they had to grind out a tough win.

“It is a massive challenge for everyone because we are expected to win and I think that is when teams can lose when they are expecting things to happen.”

Saracens were 35-18 winners over Exeter Chiefs in their final LV=Cup Pool 1 match and will host Northampton Saints in the semi-final on Saturday, March 14.

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