Biarritz v Saracens: Teams

John Smit: Starting at hooker for Sarries in France

Former Springbok captain John Smit will make his first start for Saracens in Saturday's Heineken Cup clash in Biarritz.

Jacques Burger and Ben Spencer both come into the starting line-up. Schalk Brits' three-week suspension sees Smit make a full debut while Burger returns after missing last week through injury.

Scrum-half Spencer comes into the starting XV with Neil de Kock ruled out with an arm injury.

On the replacement's bench, Mouritz Botha, Jamie George and Luke Baldwin all come into the matchday 23.

Impressive

The reigning English champions ran in five tries in their impressive 42-17 win over Treviso last weekend and will be looking for a second away win to put them in control of Pool Five.

But two-time Heineken Cup finalists Biarritz have an impressive record at the Stade Aguilera, losing only four of their 38 Heineken Cup games there.

The Basques will be looking to bounce back from defeat to the Ospreys although they did manage to salvage a losing bonus point in Swansea.

The return of the World Cup players means BO will field a much stronger team than the outfit that has left the club dead last in the Top 14, but they will be missing playmaker scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili.

Biarritz Olympique : 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Taku Ngwenya, 13 Benoît Baby, 12 Damien Traille, 11 Iain Balshaw, 10 Marcelo Bosch, 9 Luix Roussarie, 8 Raphael Lakafia, 7 Imanol Harinordoquy, 6 Benoit Guyot, 5 Erik Lund, 4 Jérôme Thion, 3 Sylvain Marconnet, 2 Benoit August, 1 Fabien Barcella.
Replacements: 16 Arnaud Heguy, 17 Yvan Watremez, 18 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 19 Pelu Taele, 20 Florian Faure, 21 Yann Lesgourgues, 22 Julien Peyrelongue, 23 Ilikena Bolakoro.

Saracens: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 David Strettle, 13 Owen Farrell, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Jacques Burger, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Hayden Smith, 4 Steve Borthwick, 3 Matt Stevens, 2 John Smit, 1 Rhys Gill.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Carlos Nieto, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Adam Powell, 23 Alex Goode.