Preview: Saracens v Harlequins
Saracens welcome back Chris Wyles and Michael Tagicakibau to their starting XV for Sunday's hosting of Harlequins.
Saracens welcome back Chris Wyles and Michael Tagicakibau to their starting line-up for Sunday's Aviva Premiership hosting of Harlequins.
The pair return from international duty with USA and Fiji respectively for the Round 10 clash. Following the news that Kameli Ratuvou will be ruled out for six months with a knee injury he sustained against Gloucester last week, Tagicakibau starts at outside centre with Wyles named at full-back.
In other team news, Mouritz Botha and Jacques Burger return to the XV as does Ernst Joubert after missing the past two weeks with a knee injury.
On the bench, Kelly Brown also returns after international duty with Scotland and second-row George Kruis is also named in the 23.
Meanwhile, after the impressive seven-try 51-18 victory over Leeds Carnegie last weekend, Harlequins starting line-up remains unchanged.
The replacements bench is also boosted with the return of the international contingent of Nick Easter, Danny Care and Gonzalo Camacho.
Karl Dickson remains at scrum-half after his man-of-the match performance against Leeds, supported by the league's top marksman, Nick Evans, at ten. Ollie Smith and Jordan Turner-Hall continue in the centre, with a back three of Mike Brown (full-back) Tom Williams and George Lowe (wings).
The front-row of Joe Marler, Joe Gray and James Johnston will continue, as will the partnership of Tomas Vallejos and George Robson at lock. Will Skinner, captain Chris Robshaw and Tom Guest combine once more in the back-row.
Form: Saracens have won their last two games against Harlequins, whilst Quins' overall record at Vicarage Road is won 2, drawn 1, lost 7. Saracens recent form with only one win in their last three games has seen them drop from 3rd to 5th place in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table. Sarries have not won at Vicarage Road since their 26-20 defeat of Leicester on 3 October. Harlequins 51-18 victory over Leeds at the Twickenham Stoop on Sunday was only the second time that the Londoners have ever clocked up a half century of points in a Premiership match: the other was during their 60-14 humbling of Worcester at the Stoop on 1 April 2009. Quins have not won away from home in the Premiership since a visit to Leeds on 4 December 2009.
The teams:
Saracens: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 David Strettle, 13 Michael Tagicakibau, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Andy Saull, 6 Jacques Burger, 5 Mouritz Botha, 4 Steve Borthwick (capt), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Deon Carstens.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 George Kruis, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Nils Mordt, 23 Noah Cato.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 George Lowe, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Tom Williams, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Karl Dickson, 8 Tom Guest, 7 Will Skinner, 6 Chris Robshaw (capt), 5 George Robson, 4 Tomas Vallejos, 3 James Johnston, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 Ceri Jones, 18 Mark Lambert, 19 Ollie Kohn, 20 Nick Easter, 21 Danny Care, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Gonzalo Camacho.
Date: Sunday, December 5
Kick-off: 14:15
Venue: Vicarage Road
Referee: Andrew Small