Preview: Newcastle v Saracens

Flying winger Adam Radwan makes his first Premiership start at Kingston Park on Sunday when Newcastle Falcons kick-off the new season at home to champions Saracens.

The 20-year-old Teessider’s sensational pre-season form has been recognised with a starting spot in the league after scoring in all three of his summer friendlies.

He forms part of a side which sees a competitive debut for prop Logovi’i Mulipola, the vastly-experienced Samoan having joined from Leicester Tigers, as well as a second Falcons ‘debut’ for hooker George McGuigan as he begins his second spell with the club.

Meanwhile, David Strettle will make his second Saracens debut against Newcastle Falcons in the opening round of the Premiership campaign.

The veteran winger, whose last game for Sarries came in the 2014/15 final win over Bath, scored twice in pre-season and lines up on the right flank. Fellow new recruit Alex Lewington will make his first appearance for the Men in Black off the bench.

Strettle is one of five changes from the Wolfpack’s XV which started at Twickenham in May.

Australia international Will Skelton’s impressive pre-season has earned him a call-up in the boiler while Mike Rhodes and Ben Earl partner Jackson Wray in the back-row.

One other alteration in the backs sees England scrum-half Ben Spencer get the nod at nine ahead of Richard Wigglesworth.

Form: Newcastle Falcons have begun their Premiership Rugby campaign with an opening weekend victory for the past two seasons. The Falcons lost out at Exeter in the semi-final last season and were also defeated by Wasps on their most recent game at Kingston Park to end a run of nine successive home victories in all competitions. Premiership Rugby champions, Saracens, have won their opening fixture of the new campaign for the past six seasons and finished off last year with seven straight Premiership Rugby victories, since their 12-24 reversal to Exeter at Sandy park on 4 March. Saracens have won their last nineteen encounters with Falcons in all tournaments since Newcastle’s 13-9 victory at Kingtson Park in Premiership Rugby in February 2009.

The teams:

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Adam Radwan, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Callum Chick, 7 Will Welch (c), 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Will Witty, 4 Calum Green, 3 Logovi’i Mulipola, 2 George McGuigan, 1 Sami Mavinga
Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Jack Payne, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Gary Graham, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Alex Tait

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 David Strettle, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Mike Rhodes, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Sione Vailanu, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 Alex Lewington

Venue: Kingston Park
Kick-off: 15:00 BST (14:00 GMT)
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Tim Wigglesworth, John Meredith
TMO: Sean Davey