TEAM NEWS | Harlequins vs Saracens Men (PREM R4)
Maro Itoje leads Saracens into a London derby at The Stoop as the Men in Black look to respond after a thriller in Galway.
Saracens return to Gallagher PREM action this Sunday with a short trip across London to face Harlequins at The Stoop.
The Original Club of North London come into the derby off the back of a thirteen try contest against Connacht in the Investec Champions Cup, where tries from Sione Va’enuku (2), Noah Caluori, Nick Tompkins, Rotimi Segun and Elliot Daly were not quite enough.
There are nine changes to the starting XV, with Marcus Street, Itoje, Ben Earl, Tomos Williams, Segun and Tompkins all retained.
Rhys Carré comes in at loosehead and Theo Dan at hooker, with Marcus Street keeping his place at tighthead.
Itoje moves back into the second row from the blindside to captain the side, partnered by new signing George Martin.
Nathan Michelow steps up from the bench to wear six, with Andy Onyeama-Christie on the openside. Earl rounds off the pack at number eight after his line break set up Tompkins’ try on the stroke of half time in Galway.
Scottish international Fergus Burke also comes in from the bench to start at fly half, alongside Williams.
Tompkins shifts to inside centre, with Lucio Cinti joining him in the midfield at 13.
Segun, who ran in from range against Connacht, is joined on the wings by Jack Bracken, with Max Malins rounding off the side at fullback.
The bench sees a 6-2 split. Jamie George, Alex O’Driscoll and Alec Clarey provide front row cover, with Hugh Tizard, Nick Isiekwe and Juan Martin Gonzalez covering the second and back rows. Tom James and Angus Hall complete the 23.
SARACENS TEAM TO PLAY HARLEQUINS
1 Rhys Carré
2 Theo Dan
3 Marcus Street
4 Maro Itoje (C)
5 George Martin
6 Nathan Michelow
7 Andy Onyeama-Christie
8 Ben Earl
9 Tomos Williams
10 Fergus Burke
11 Rotimi Segun
12 Nick Tompkins
13 Lucio Cinti
14 Jack Bracken
15 Max Malins
REPLACEMENTS
16 Jamie George
17 Alex O’Driscoll
18 Alec Clarey
19 Hugh Tizard
20 Nick Isiekwe
21 Juan Martin Gonzalez
22 Tom James
23 Angus Hall
