Saracens v Sale - Aviva Premiership match preview

Andy Powell returns at No 8 for Sale

Steve Borthwick: Back after resting last week

Saracens welcome back captain Steve Borthwick as they return to Vicarage Road to host Sale on Sunday.

Borthwick was rested for the victory over Northampton but is named in the starting XV in one of four changes ahead of the Aviva Premiership tie.

Schalk Brits returns at hooker and Richard Wigglesworth gets the nod at scrum half with Neil de Kock benched, while Owen Farrell slots in at stand-off ahead of Charlie Hodgson.

The only other change sees James Short named on the wing in place of the rested Chris Ashton.

Meanwhile, Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel returns to the Sale starting line-up after recovering from injury, replacing Cillian Willis.

Andy Powell is welcomed back at number eight, with Richie Vernon moving to openside flanker to replace captain Dave Seymour.

New signing Daniel Braid is named amongst the replacements.

Saracens: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 James Short, 13 Joel Tomkins, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 David Strettle, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 George Kruis, 4 Steve Borthwick (c), 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Nick Fenton-Wells, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Duncan Taylor.

Sale: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Tom Brady, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Richie Vernon, 6 James Gaskell, 5 Kearnan Myall, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Tony Buckley, 2 Marc Jones, 1 Ross Harrison.

Replacements: 16 Aston Croall, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Eifion Lewis-Roberts, 19 Tom Holmes, 20 Daniel Braid, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Charlie Amesbury, 23 Cameron Shepherd.

What they said...

Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall:

"Sale Sharks come to us on the back of a win over Worcester Warriors and with quality players all over the pitch, they are a dangerous side.

"The odd result apart, they have been involved in many close games and we know they will fight for everything on the pitch on Sunday, so we have to be ready."

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