Saints vs Sarries - 3pm Saturday

[Puja]

Saints: Furbank; Ramm, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman; F Smith, Mitchell; A Waller, S Matavesi, Davison; Ribbans, Moon; Lawes, Ludlam (c), Augustus.

Replacements: Cruse, E Waller, Hill, Coles, Salakaia-Loto, Graham, James, Collins.


Saracens: Goode (c); Segun, Taylor, Hartley, Lewington; M Vunipola, de Haas; Mawi, Woolstencroft, Judge; Hunter-Hill, Tizard; Isiekwe, Knight, Wray.

Replacements: Dan, Hislop, Riccioni, Michelow, Earl, van Zyl, Hallett, Harris.

[FKAS]

Sarries confident in top spot so sending a B side to Saints. Saints won't be complaining, should be a straightforward TBP win for them.

[Puja]

Hadn't really paid attention to the XV when posting it - that really is a weakened side by Sarries! Fair play; they've got the spare points to be able to do it, but it's changed my expectation of the result quite a bit!

Puja

[fivepointer]

Cant imagine Exeter and London Irish are pleased by that Saracens selection.

Thats a seriously under strength side and Saints should win at a canter.

Interested to see how Hartley fares against the SAints centre combo.

[Adam_P]

Sarries confident in top spot so sending a B side to Saints. Saints won't be complaining, should be a straightforward TBP win for them.

You've said it now...

Basically we should be winning this one reasonably well, and if we don't then we certainly don't deserve to be in the play offs.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Note on Michelow who is set to make his prem debut at 18 years of age. Thought very highly of at Sarries.

[Banquo]

Saints so inaccurate. Freeman classy.

[Banquo]

Saints defence is poor

[FKAS]

Sarries confident in top spot so sending a B side to Saints. Saints won't be complaining, should be a straightforward TBP win for them.

You've said it now...

Basically we should be winning this one reasonably well, and if we don't then we certainly don't deserve to be in the play offs.

Sarries guaranteeing it with a red card inside the first 10 mins it seems.

[Adam_P]

Saints defence is poor

No shit

[Banquo]

Saints defence is poor

No shit

wouldnt expect it to be so rank v sarries 2`s down to 13/14 men

[Banquo]

Dowson must be going loopy. kudos to sarries, but....

[Spiffy]

Well done the Sarries reserves. Some likely looking lads out there. Really slopping handling from the Saints especially in the first half.

[fivepointer]

Sarries did very well to get a BP out of that. Fair play to them.

I really like Theo Dan. He cuts great angles and has neat hands. He's got something.

[Banquo]

Sarries did very well to get a BP out of that. Fair play to them.

I really like Theo Dan. He cuts great angles and has neat hands. He's got something.

Agreed. There’s a few lively young hookers emerging thankfully

[Peej]

How did Hartley get on?

[TheNomad]

Re: Hartley, was wondering the same - I watched some of the game, but didn't really get a good impression

At first glance, it strikes you how big he is for a start. He's tall and very heavy set. He also had a foot race with Furbank (no slough) towards the end, and while slower, didn't look meaningfully so. So you'd think he has the raw ingredients. His tackling looked pretty solid too.

I can't really profess to have much of a view beyond that though to be fair, and playing in a team of 14 men for nearly the whole game doesn't give a great platform to showcase your attacking abilities. So hard to say.

Him and Seb Atkinson certainly look interesting prospects though.

And, seeing as we're on the topic of EQP backs, Freeman is such a good player. Strong, quick, abrasive and he cuts some lovely lines. Injury permitting, I think he could well end featuring in the World Cup, where in reality there are two wing slots that are still somewhat (I'd argue Watson will have one of them) up for grabs

[Banquo]

Re: Hartley, was wondering the same - I watched some of the game, but didn't really get a good impression

At first glance, it strikes you how big he is for a start. He's tall and very heavy set. He also had a foot race with Furbank (no slough) towards the end, and while slower, didn't look meaningfully so. So you'd think he has the raw ingredients. His tackling looked pretty solid too.

I can't really profess to have much of a view beyond that though to be fair, and playing in a team of 14 men for nearly the whole game doesn't give a great platform to showcase your attacking abilities. So hard to say.

Him and Seb Atkinson certainly look interesting prospects though.

And, seeing as we're on the topic of EQP backs, Freeman is such a good player. Strong, quick, abrasive and he cuts some lovely lines. Injury permitting, I think he could well end featuring in the World Cup, where in reality there are two wing slots that are still somewhat (I'd argue Watson will have one of them) up for grabs

It's annoying that Freeman hasn't been first choice since Aus tbh, he was excellent on tour.

[FKAS]

I'd have Freeman on the left wing, obvious selection for me. Freeman, Watson and Steward would be solid and offer a range of skills.

[Peej]

What was the red card for? Was it clear cut?

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah, Duncan Taylor trying to set his own record of 100 Premiership concussions by smashing his face in to Finn Smith’s head.