TEAM NEWS | Wasps v Saracens Men

Ivan van Zyl says Saracens Men are looking to make strides forward in the league after their morale-boosting win against London Irish gave the Men in Black plenty of confidence before their trip to Wasps on Sunday. 

There are five changes to the starting XV after the European victory over Irish as focus returns to the Gallagher Premiership once again. 

Mako Vunipola co-captains the side at loosehead in an unchanged front-row, with Tom Woolstencroft and Vincent Koch alongside him. Callum Hunter-Hill is joined by Tim Swinson in an all-Scottish second-row, while Ben Earl returns to the back-row with duo Theo McFarland and Billy Vunipola at the base of the scrum. 

Ivan van Zyl and Manu Vunipola continue as half-backs after steering the side past Irish on Sunday, while the midfield returns to the experienced pair of Nick Tompkins and Alex Lozowski. 

Rotimi Segun comes in on the right wing, with Alex Lewington who scored twice against the Exiles on the left and co-captain Alex Goode at full-back. 

On the bench Scotland duo Andy Christie and Sean Maitland have returned from camp to take their place amongst the replacements, and there could also be a Premiership debut for Brandon Jackson who signed a new long-term deal back in December. 

Springbok scrum-half Van Zyl knows that the North Londoners have a big task ahead of them at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

“We are looking forward to a tough game this weekend. We definitely took some steps in the right direction last week and we will want to build on that and keep on improving as we move into the second half of this season. Wasps are the next challenge ahead of us and we can't wait!”

Saracens Men team to play Wasps:

1 Mako Vunipola (cc)

2 Tom Woolstencroft

3 Vincent Koch

4 Callum Hunter-Hill

5 Tim Swinson

6 Theo McFarland

7 Ben Earl 

8 Billy Vunipola

9 Ivan van Zyl

10 Manu Vunipola

11 Alex Lewington

12 Nick Tompkins

13 Alex Lozowski

14 Rotimi Segun

15 Alex Goode (cc)

Replacements:

16 Ethan Lewis

17 Eroni Mawi

18 Alec Clarey

19 Janco Venter

20 Andy Christie 

21 Aled Davies

22 Brandon Jackson 

23 Sean Maitland