Preview: Sale v Saracens

Editor

Saracens have named an unchanged starting team as they look to make it two wins from two in 2012/13 when they go to Sale on Saturday.

Saracens have named an unchanged starting team as they look to make it two wins from two in 2012/13 when they go to Sale Sharks on Saturday.

Director of Rugby Mark McCall selects the same XV that opened the season at Twickenham last week with a 40-3 victory over London Irish.

The only changes come on the bench where Alistair Hargreaves and Owen Farrell have both shaken off minor knocks to be named in the 23. Second-row Hargreaves will make his Aviva Premiership debut should he take to the field.

The other change sees Jared Saunders named among the replacement props on the bench.

Meanwhile, Sale have made four changes from last Saturday's loss against Exeter, with Mark Cueto, Danny Cipriani, Kearnan Myall and Richie Vernon making their first starts this season.

Marc Jones, Cillian Willis and Andy Powell are ruled out through injury.

Form: The Salford City Stadium becomes the 32nd new venue to host a Premiership encounter. Sale Sharks suffered a heavy defeat at Exeter on Saturday but have not lost their opening two matches of a Premiership campaign since season 2003/04. Saracens had an impressive 40-3 victory over London Irish at Twickenham in round one of Aviva Premiership Rugby, and have not begun a season with a pair of victories since 2009/10. The Sharks' only victory over Saracens in their last eight encounters in all competitions was 28-22 at Edgeley Park on 2 January 2011.

Rugby Union betting odds

The teams:

Sale: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Will Addison, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Richie Vernon, 7 David Seymour (capt), 6 James Gaskell, 5 Kearnan Myall, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 2 Joe Ward, 1 Eifion Lewis-Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Mark Easter, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Nick Macleod, 23 Corne Uys.

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Joel Tomkins, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Mouritz Botha, 4 Steve Borthwick (capt), 3 Petrus du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Jared Saunders, 18 Carlos Nieto, 19 Alistair Hargreaves, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 James Short.

Date: Saturday, September 8
Kick-off: 16:30 BST
Venue: Salford City Stadium
Referee: David Pearson
Assistant referees: Martin Fox, Robin Goodliffe