TEAM NEWS | Saracens Men Vs Sale Sharks (PREM R2)
Rotimi Segun is eagerly awaiting returning to North London as Saracens take on Sale Sharks in their first home league game of the season.
Segun starts after scoring a crucial brace in the first win of the season against Leicester Tigers seven days ago, and is looking forward to a North London buzz this Sunday against the Sharks.
It’s an unmissable experience in North London this Sunday, with tickets still available to be part of the 150th anniversary celebrations.
The Original Club of North London name just two forced changes from the starting XV that won at Mattioli Woods Welford Road last week, including an unchanged front row, with Eroni Mawi and Marcus Street propping down either side of Theo Dan at hooker.
Maro Itoje remains in the engine room, captaining the side from the second row. He is once again partnered alongside Hugh Tizard.
Nick Isiekwe is cleared to start on the blindside flank, with Juan Martin Gonzalez on the openside. Alfie Barbeary rounds off the pack at number eight once more.
Having been named Gallagher Player of the Match on his competitive debut, Tomos Williams starts once more for the home side at scrum half, partnered alongside Scottish international Fergus Burke, whose metronomic boot made a big difference in Leicester last Sunday.
The two changes come in the backline, as Olly Hartley was ruled out during the Leicester match. Sione Va’enuku will make his Gallagher PREM debut, making his first league start having impressed during pre-season. He is alongside the experienced Nick Tompkins for his first outing in the midfield.
Rotimi Segun is matched alongside Jack Bracken, who slots in for the injured Tobias Elliott off an impressive pre-season block, with the ever versatile Elliot Daly rounding off the side at fullback.
George Martin will make his long awaited competitive debut for Saracens from the bench, having recovered from a small knock picked up in the pre season friendly against Scarlets.
Segun is excited to see what this team can do in front of a home crowd.
“You always look forward to that first home PREM game and this one just has that extra edge. The 150th anniversary is a huge occasion for the club, so we have to rise to that occasion and put our best foot forward.
Sale will bring a lot of bite, so we can look to build on what happened in Leicester last weekend for the best possible start to the season.”
SARACENS TEAM TO PLAY SALE SHARKS
1 Eroni Mawi
2 Theo Dan
3 Marcus Street
4 Maro Itoje (c)
5 Hugh Tizard
6 Nick Isiekwe
7 Juan Martin Gonzalez
8 Alfie Barbeary
9 Tomos Williams
10 Fergus Burke
11 Rotimi Segun
12 Sione Va'enuku
13 Nick Tompkins
14 Jack Bracken
15 Elliot Daly
REPLACEMENTS
16 Eoghan Clarke
17 Alex O'Driscoll
18 Alec Clarey
19 George Martin
20 Nathan Michelow
21 Ben Earl
22 Charlie Bracken
23 Max Malins
