Saracens v Exeter: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 10/05/15 2:39pm
Saracens have been forced into a backline reshuffle, with Brad Barritt missing out with a slight knock. Chris Wyles comes into Saracens midfield in place of Barritt to wear the No. 12 jersey and partners Marcelo Bosch at centre.
Saracens have been forced into a backline reshuffle, with Brad Barritt missing out with a slight knock. Chris Wyles comes into Saracens midfield in place of Barritt to wear the No. 12 jersey and partners Marcelo Bosch at centre.
In the halves, Richard Wigglesworth captains the side from scrum-half and will link up with Charlie Hodgson, who starts at fly-half.
In the back three, David Strettle starts on the left wing with Chris Ashton named on the opposite flank – Alex Goode continues at full-back.
In the forwards, lock George Kruis will be the latest Saracens academy product to be inducted into the club's 100 Club. The England international forward will bring up his century of appearances for the club alongside Maro Itoje at lock.
Elsewhere up front, in-form loosehead Mako Vunipola continues in the No1 shirt, and is joined by Jamie George and Petrus Du Plessis in the Sarries front row.
In the back row, Jackson Wray starts at No8 with Billy Vunipola just missing out on the crunch Premiership clash with a slight ankle complaint. Kelly Brown starts at blindside flanker, with Namibian loose-forward Jacques Burger named at openside.
Meanwhile Exeter have recalled Gareth Steenson at fly-half with Henry Slade switching to centre in place of Jack Nowell; whilst up front Luke Cowan-Dickie starts at hooker and Ben White is fit again and returns to the back-row.
On the bench, Academy youngster Max Bodilly comes in for his first-ever inclusion in a Premiership squad, while Tongan international Fetu'u Vainikolo is also included.
"We've had a couple of good training days last week and this week and we look in fine fettle going into Sunday,” said Rob Baxter.
"One thing you know when you go to Saracens is that you have to lay a lot of energy into the game. I think we are quite good at that and it's given us a good focus going into this week. That said, we know we will have to put in a fantastic performance if we are to get anything from the game."
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Chris Wyles, 11 David Strettle, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth (c); 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Jamie George, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 4 George Kruis, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Jacques Burger, 8 Jackson Wray.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 James Johnston, 19 Alistair Hargreaves, 20 Ernst Joubert, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Nick Tompkins
Exeter: 15 Byron McGuigan, 14 Ian Whitten, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Matt Jess, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Will Chudley, 1 Ben Moon, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Dean Mumm (c), 5 Mitch Lees, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Ben White, 8 Thomas Waldrom.
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Alex Brown, 19 Damian Welch, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Fetu’u Vainikolo, 23 Max Bodilly