Preview: Saracens v Northampton
Saracens host table-toppers Northampton on Sunday for what is the game of the Aviva Premiership round at Vicarage Road.
Saracens will play host to league-leaders Northampton on Sunday for what is the game of the Aviva Premiership round at Vicarage Road.
In team news ahead of the game, Director of Rugby Brendan Venter makes two enforced changes with Alex Goode (shoulder) and Justin Melck (ribs) both ruled out through injury.
As a result, Nils Mordt and Kelly Brown come into the side at full-back and in the back-row respectively. Mouritz Botha also returns to the starting line-up in the other change from the side that won at Leeds Carnegie last weekend.
On the bench, Don Barrell is set for his first appearance of the season while Owen Farrell also comes into the matchday 23.
“Northampton Saints have made a fantastic start to the campaign. They have been in great form this season and have the only unbeaten record in the Premiership, so this is a game that we are really looking forward to,” said Venter.
Meanwhile, Saints Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder believes that their Round 4 trip to Watford will be a good yardstick for their development.
Northampton may have three wins from their three games so far, but Saracens were the only team to do the double over Sunday's travellers last season and won a place in the 2009/10 Grand Final with a win at Franklin's Gardens.
Although he said that a line had been drawn after the end of last season the May loss to Saracens has not been forgotten at Franklin's Gardens.
“Last season's semi-final is a massive motivation for us,” Mallinder said.
“Obviously we're in a new season and we have moved on, but you have to learn from the big games and use the experience in the future.
“Both ourselves and Saracens have brought in players, but the core squads are still in place at both clubs and we have both started the season well. Saracens have a good team that will challenge us across the field. However we have generated some good momentum in the past month and everyone in the squad will be putting in a massive effort on Sunday to try and continue this.”
Mallinder has given a senior Saints debut to lock Mark Sorenson with Calum Clark making his first start in the back-row. Other players making their first starts of the season are Paul Diggin and Joe Ansbro, with Chris Ashton and Courtney Lawes both being rested under the EPS agreement.
“We have a good squad that we believe in and everyone who is coming into the team deserves their chance to show what they can do,” he added.
Form: Saracens won on their two most recent visits to Franklin's Gardens and have the best record of any visiting side to Northampton, gaining seven Premiership wins there over the years. Saracens' only defeat in their last seven Premiership matches was 16-33 to London Irish at Twickenham in round one. Sarries have won their last three home matches. Table topping Northampton Saints have already made their best ever start to a Premiership season, whilst the only two occasions that they have won their opening three matches of a league campaign was when they went on to have perfect seasons, winning 18 out of 18 in Division Two in 1995/96 and winning 26 from 26 in National One in 2007/08. Saracens and Northampton met on five separate occasions in all competitions last season with Sarries having the slight edge by three wins to two.
The teams:
Saracens: 15 Nils Mordt, 14 David Strettle, 13 Kameli Ratuvou, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Jacques Burger, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Mouritz Botha, 4 Steve Borthwick (capt), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Ethienne Reynecke, 1 Deon Carstens.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Matt Parr, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Hayden Smith, 20 Don Barrell, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Michael Tagicakibau.
Northampton: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Paul Diggin, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 James Downey, 11 Bruce Reihana, 10 Shane Geraghty, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Phil Dowson, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Calum Clark, 5 Christian Day, 4 Mark Sorenson, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Dylan Hartley (capt), 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.
Replacements: 16 Brett Sharman, 17 Regardt Dreyer, 18 Tom Mercey, 19 Mark Easter, 20 Roger Wilson, 21 Ryan Powell, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 Jon Clarke.
Date: Sunday, September 26
Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Venue: Vicarage Road
Referee: Dave Pearson