Rugby Union: Challenge Cup: Saracens 47 - 20 Narbonne

Saracens will face sterner opposition than Narbonne, who brought bright orange shirts but little else to liven up proceedings here yesterday. but that should not detract from Sarries' domination of the first hour in which they landed seven tries and booked their quarter-finals place. Next Friday's trip to Glasgow will determine whether they play at home as one of the top four qualifiers.

It is almost nine years since the Men in Black won a trophy and their director of rugby, Alan Gaffney, describes this year's Challenge Cup as "a huge thing" for the club, who would love to emulate Gloucester's triumph last year. "It's going to be a difficult final eight," he added. "Look at the way Clermont are playing in the French championship [they are second] and Bath can be strong if they get a full side out. So winning on Friday and getting a home quarter would be a massive plus."

Narbonne are close to the foot of the table in the French championship and they played like men with their minds elsewhere until Sebastian Regy, Christopher Ruiz and the prop Luc Ducalcon scored three tries in the final quarter. But by then they might as well have been back in the south of France, so complete was Saracens' early domination in which the Argentine Tomás De Vedia's contribution alone was worth a four-try bonus point.

De Vedia was top scorer in Argentina's domestic league last season but with Richard Haughton and Kameli Ratuvou ahead of him in the pecking order here, he has struggled to find a starting place this season. But he was over for Sarries' first try after 72 seconds and he added a second after a turnover on the halfway line on 20 minutes. His hat-trick came up just before half-time with a litle help from Andy Farrell and approaching the hour he had a fourth in the bag, after Glen Jackson began a break-out from his own 22.

The England coach Brian Ashton was looking on and must be purring at the range of skills Farrell is displaying as he finds increasing confidence at inside-centre. The final minutes of the first half showed the rugby league convert at his best, twice involved for the De Vedia try which brought the bonus point.

First the big man took the ball into contact, made the yards and managed a long-range off-load to Kris Chesney which maintained the momentum. Within seconds he served up an outrageous flat pass to Dan Scarbrough which set up De Vedia's score, and a minute later he produced a 40-yard clearance which bounced about six inches inside the touch-line.

"I don't know what way the England selectors are going to go, but Faz would do a good job for them," said Gaffney. "The more he plays, the better he gets." The same could not, however, be said of his club yesterday.

By the hour they were 44 points clear, with two tries for Ben Russell and one for Scarbrough in addition to De Vedia's quartet. But then their focus wavered and the French began to slip through one tackle after another, to turn what had threatened to be a rout into an honest defeat.

Saracens Scarbrough; De Vedia, Sorrell (capt; Penney, 58), Farrell, Vaikona; Jackson (Taylor, 58), De Kock (Rauluni 58); Lloyd, Byrne, Mercey, Ryder, Chesney (Raiwalui, 66), Russell, Seymour, Vyvyan.

Tries De Vedia 4, Russell, 2, Scarbrough. Cons Jackson 6.

Sin-bin Penney, 78.

Narbonne Nadau; Regy, Van Rensburg (Mazars, 66), Gauthier, Candelon; Rosalen (Ruiz, 66), Seron (Balue, 18); Mololo (Hooper, 66), Pariel (Rofes, 60), Ducalcon, Michaux, Springgay (capt), Tomiki, Beaux, Haare (Bisaro, 60).

Tries Regy, Ruiz, Ducalcon. Con Ruiz. Pen Rosalen

Sin-bin Ducalcon, 29.

Referee C Damasco (Italy). Attendance 5,782.