Preview: Saracens v Exeter

Editor

Saracens duo Alex Goode and Chris Wyles will make their 200th appearances for the club when they face Exeter at Allianz Park on Saturday.

In another milestone, veteran scrum-half Neil De Kock will run out for his 250th appearance from the Men in Black if used as a substitute.

Full-back Goode will start at full-back alongside fellow double-centurion Wyles in the back three. Duncan Taylor returns to club action to take his place on the right wing.

At centre, Brad Barritt continues to skipper the side from inside centre. Marcelo Bosch is his midfield partner.

In the halves, Richard Wigglesworth starts at scrum-half and will be joined by Owen Farrell who is back in his customary number 10 shirt after England duty.

Up front, Mako Vunipola starts at loosehead prop and will be joined by Schalk Brits (hooker) and Petrus Du Plessis (tighthead prop) in the Saracens front-row.

At lock, England's Grand Slam engine room will be reunited as Maro Itoje and George Kruis will pack down alongside each other. while in the back-row, Billy Vunipola starts at eight with Jackson Wray shifting to blindside flanker and Will Fraser coming into the side at openside flank.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs make four changes up front where there are starts for Alec Hepburn, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Julian Salvi and Damian Welch, the latter making his first return since mid-December when he picked up a pectoral injury away to Clermont.

Behind them, Phil Dollman's return at full-back means Australia international Lachie Turner shunts to the left wing with James Short, himself a former Saracens player, being given the week off by head coach Rob Baxter.

On the bench, Ben Moon – who will make his 100th Premiership appearance if summoned – is joined by the returning Moray Low, Kai Horstmann and Will Hooley, all of whom sat out last weekend's home clash with Northampton.

Form: Saracens have won just one of their last four matches, against London Irish in New Jersey in Round 16, and uncharacteristically have lost two of their last three home matches. Exeter Chiefs' home win over Northampton took them to the top of the Premiership Rugby table for only the fourth time, but all the previous occasions have been after Rounds 1 or 2. The two sides have met on 11 previous occasions in Premiership Rugby, with Saracens winning seven and Exeter four, but the Chiefs were victorious on their most recent visit to Allianz Park – winning 24-20 in Round 21 last year.

The teams:

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Duncan Taylor, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Jackson Wray, 5 Maro Itoje, 4 George Kruis, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Jared Saunders, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Alistair Hargreaves, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 Mike Ellery

Exeter: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Lachie Turner, 10 Gareth Steenson (c), 9 Dave Lewis, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Damian Welch, 4 Geoff Parling, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Moray Low, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Max Bodilly

Date: Saturday, March 26
Venue: Allianz Park
Kick-off: 15:15 GMT
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant Referees: Ross Campbell, Paul Dix
TMO: David Grashoff