Exeter v Saracens: Teams
Saracens have made two changes for Saturday's visit to Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership.
By Jamie Casey
Last Updated: 15/04/11 5:47pm
Saracens have made two changes for Saturday's visit to Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership.
The visitors to Sandy Park are on an eight-game winning sequence in all competitions, with their last outing a 20-9 victory over Bath on April 3rd.
A shoulder injury denies Steve Borthwick a place in the starting XV and he will be replaced by Mouritz Botha while lock Ernst Joubert is set to captain the side.
Andy Saull is benched as Jacques Burger comes back into the side, who trail Leicester by three points in the race for the title. Meanwhile, Hugh Vyvyan will take his place on the bench.
For the hosts, Head Coach Rob Baxter will be relieved to be back on their own turf having seen his side suffer three successive away defeats to London Irish, Leeds Carnegie and Bath.
League double
Exeter will be aiming for a creditable league double over Saracens, with a 23-9 triumph at Vicarage Road in October perhaps the highlight of their season.
Chiefs have made one change to their starting line-up with James Hanks, who has overcome a shoulder injury, returning to the second row at the expense of Chad Slade, who drops to the bench in place of Dave Gannon.
Further shuffles on the bench sees Argentine forward Ignacio Elosu miss out on the match-day 23 with prop Chris Budgen taking his place.
Despite being 16 points clear of bottom club Newcastle Falcons, Chiefs cannot celebrate survival just yet as a dark cloud surrounds the registration of Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo.
An administrative error could yet see the club punished by the Rugby Football Union for fielding three overseas players in a match-day squad.
Exeter's Vicarage Road triumph is the sole competitive meeting between the two sides but visitors Saracens are favourites to emerge with maximum points.
At home the Chiefs have won four of their last five matches in all competitions but Saracens have won eight successive matches in all competitions since their 14-24 reversal at home to Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup on 21 January.
Exter Chiefs: 15 Luke Arscott, 14 Matt Jess, 13 Jason Shoemark, 12 Sireli Naqelevuki, 11 Nic Sestaret, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 JuniorPoluleuligaga, 8 Richard Baxter, 7 James Scaysbrook, 6 Tom Johnson, 5 James Hanks, 4 Tom Hayes (c), 3 Hoani Tui, 2 Neil Clark, 1 Brett Sturgess.
Replacements: 16 Chris Whitehead, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Chris Budgen, 19 Chad Slade, 20 James Phillips, 21 Garrick Cowley, 22 Phil Dollman, 23 Ignacio Mieres.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 David Strettle, 13 Chris Wyles, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert (c), 7 Jacques Burger 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Hayden Smith, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Matt Stevens.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Hugh Vyvyan, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Kevin Barrett, 22 Adam Powell, 23 Noah Cato.
