Noah Caluori compared to Israel Folau ahead of box-office encounter

Two of the most exciting wingers in English rugby will go directly opposite each other in North London on Sunday, after Noah Caluori was named on the right wing by Saracens and Henry Arundell on the left by Bath.

While the return of Elliot Daly to Saracens colours for the first time this season is one of the headline pieces of team news, the Caluori vs Arundell head-to-head, a battle between aerial prowess and pure pace, is box-office material.

Speaking before the teams were announced, Bath boss Johann van Graan said he enjoys seeing the point of difference that both players can bring.

“Both have got a very different game. Let’s start with Caluori – the only guy that I have coached against that can jump that high is Israel Folau,” said van Graan.

“When I just look at some of the jumps that he has made, I was here (at The Rec) when England A played New Zealand A, and that kick off of his, when he gets into the air, that’s a phenomenal skill to have. I actually enjoy it when I’m watching it, it’s like, ‘wow, you’ve got something special’.

“And then I watch Henry and what he can do. You think about the try that he made for Tom de Glanville against Gloucester, the try he scored against Sale, and the try he scored for England. He’s the fastest man I have coached since Bryan Habana.

“They’re two players that might play for England for a very long time, two players with x-factor. How good is that to have in the Premiership?”

Saracens v Bath:

1 Rhys Carre
2 Theo Dan
3 Marco Riccioni
4 Theo McFarland
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Juan Martin Gonzalez
7 Ben Earl
8 Tom Willis
9 Ivan van Zyl (c)
10 Owen Farrell
11 Max Malins
12 Nick Tompkins
13 Lucio Cinti
14 Noah Caluori
15 Elliot Daly

Replacements:

16 James Hadfield
17 Eroni Mawi
18 Marcus Street
19 Harry Wilson
20 Nick Isiekwe
21 Charlie Bracken
22 Fergus Burke
23 Angus Hall