TEAM NEWS | Exeter Chiefs v Saracens Men
Director of Rugby Mark McCall says his team relish matches of this significance as they prepare to face Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.
Sarries head to Sandy Park for the first time in two years and will be taking on familiar opponents, with the two teams contesting at the top of the table regularly over the last decade.
There are three changes to the starting XV from the side that beat Sale Sharks last weekend, with one up front as Ben Earl returns to the back-row. Elliot Daly is back in the XV for the first time since the British and Irish Lions Tour in the summer and Alex Lewington is on the other wing as the pair replace Rotimi Segun and Sean Maitland who picked up minor knocks against Sale.
Mako Vunipola, Ethan Lewis and Vincent Koch continue their front-row partnership which functioned impressively last Sunday, whilst Nick Isiekwe moves up to the second-row alongside Maro Itoje.
Jackson Wray co-captains the side from number six, with Ben Earl at seven and the in-form Billy Vunipola at eight.
Aled Davies and other co-captain Alex Goode keep up their half-back pairing, as do centres Nick Tompkins and Alex Lozowski. Daly will be on the left wing, with Lewington and Max Malins completing the back-three.
On the bench Sarries are boosted by the return of international prop Eroni Mawi, and have plenty of cover up front with the likes of Tim Swinson and Theo McFarland amongst the replacements.
McCall says his side cannot wait to take on the Chiefs this weekend.
“Taking on Exeter at Sandy Park is a significant challenge but very much one we are looking forward to. Our mentality in our away games thus far this season has been outstanding and we have a group of players who relish games like these.”
Saracens Men team to play Exeter Chiefs:
1 Mako Vunipola
2 Ethan Lewis
3 Vincent Koch
4 Maro Itoje
5 Nick Isiekwe
6 Jackson Wray (cc)
7 Ben Earl
8 Billy Vunipola
9 Aled Davies
10 Alex Goode (cc)
11 Elliot Daly
12 Nick Tompkins
13 Alex Lozowski
14 Alex Lewington
15 Max Malins
Replacements:
16 Kapeli Pifeleti
17 Eroni Mawi
18 Alec Clarey
19 Tim Swinson
20 Theo McFarland
21 Andy Christie
22 Ivan van Zyl
23 Dom Morris
