Saracens name full Test XV with a positional switch for Maro Itoje
Saracens have named a fifteen full of internationals for their Gallagher Premiership showdown with Sale Sharks in the AJ Bell this weekend.
The fifteen includes nine England internationals, two Scotland internationals, a Springbok, two Wales players and a Flying Fijian in the starting XV.
Wales centre Nick Tompkins returns from international duty, as does England forward Nick Isiekwe; both of whom featured during the Guinness Six Nations.
In total, Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall has made three changes to the starting line-up from the side that beat Bristol Bears in last Saturday’s Showdown match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Isiekwe, who will make his 100th appearances for the club, is joined by Tim Swinson who is back in the second-row, with Maro Itoje moving to blindside flanker. Ben Earl, who was Player of the Match against his former side Bristol Bears last time out, stays at openside with Billy Vunipola at No.8.
Tompkins and Alex Lozowski resume their midfield partnership, with Max Malins, Sean Maitland on the wings and Elliot Daly at fullback.
“We didn’t quite click last week but the group hasn’t been together for a while so we learnt a lot and all of our focus is on finishing this block on a high,” said Tompkins. “Sale have a wealth of talent and they will be very physical but we feel like we are building some good momentum and want to continue that.”
Alec Clarey has recovered from an ankle injury and will make his first appearance since the end of January on the bench, where he is joined by Theo McFarland.
Owen Farrell, who suffered a head injury against Bristol is not included.
SARACENS:
1 Eroni Mawi
2 Jamie George (c)
3 Vincent Koch
4 Nick Isiekwe
5 Tim Swinson
6 Maro Itoje
7 Ben Earl
8 Billy Vunipola
9 Aled Davies
10 Alex Goode
11 Max Malins
12 Nick Tompkins
13 Alex Lozowski
14 Sean Maitland
15 Elliot Daly
REPLACEMENTS:
16 Tom Woolstencroft
17 Richard Barrington
18 Alec Clarey
19 Theo McFarland
20 Andy Christie
21 Ruben de Haas
22 Duncan Taylor
23 Alex Lewington
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Ultimately it is the entire NZR board who should be sacked. Foster wants to be the ABs coach, you can't blame him for that. NZR appointed him in what was a terrible process for actually finding the right candidate, more of a coronation based on the false assumption of "continuity" - it was clear from the BIL tour in 2017 which direction the ABs were heading, continuing that seemed crazy by they decided to do it anyway. They then reappointed him before he had faced a true test before the NH tour of 2021 which was a disaster. They could have sacked him then. They could have sacked him after the Ireland series where it was clear the ABs were well of the pace. They could have done it after the tests in SA which despite being 1-1 were not in the least bit convincing. Basically they have backed the guy every year, but now in the lead up to the world cup they have decided he's definitely not the right guy, yet he remains the coach.
Go to comments"taking the land they felt had been stolen from them during the colonial era" the land had been stolen, and the requisitions were entirely justified. I'm very sorry that Negri's family were hurt but this article is basically just propaganda for apartheid.
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