Their memorable quarter-final victory over star-studded Welsh challengers Ospreys came at a cost.

Centre Andy Farrell has already been ruled out for the rest of this season after suffering a shoulder injury during the 19-10 success at Vicarage Road.

Full-back Brent Russell (hamstring) and flanker Paul Gustard (shoulder) joined Farrell on the casualty list, while try-scorer Francisco Leonelli also sustained a knock.

Saracens have three weeks to build towards a first semi-final - they face Munster at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on April 27 - but England international Farrell is already out of the running.

Saracens rugby director Alan Gaffney said: “Faz has a total rupture of his AC (acromioclavicular) joint, so he will be gone for about three months.”

The injury also dashed any outside chance former Great Britain rugby league captain Farrell might have had of featuring on England’s summer tour to New Zealand.

Injury setbacks though, could not take the gloss off a richly-deserved win built around brilliant defence and an outstanding pack performance inspired by England back-row veteran Richard Hill.

Gaffney can now look forward to facing Munster after spending three years as their coach and guiding them to a Heineken semi-final.

“I sent a number of congratulatory text messages to my Munster friends after their win against Gloucester on Saturday, and I got a flood of them in return after the final whistle against the Ospreys,” he said.

“All the pundits didn’t give us a chance, but we knew within ourselves that we could win.

“I guess you could say we’ve put a spanner in the works by beating a team that many people thought were the favourites to win the tournament.

“Now, we will have to do it all over again when we meet Munster.

“I hope we’ve put to bed the myth that this club are perennial under-achievers. It was a great day for the club and an occasion for the players to savour.”

Saracens’ victory was made all the more remarkable, given they were crushed 30-3 by the Ospreys in an Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final just two weeks ago

Gaffney added: “On the back of what happened two weeks ago, we weren’t supremely confident, but we knew we could compete.

“Saracens have always had great players, but one of the things I have tried to introduce since I’ve been here is a belief among the team and to have trust in what they are doing.”