Saracens v Northampton Saints - Sat 3pm

[Puja]

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Tom Parton, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Andy Christie, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Theo McFarland, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Alec Clarey, 2 Theo Dan, 1 Tom West
Replacements: 16 Jamie George,17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Christian Judge,19 Hugh Tizard, 20 Toby Knight, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Olly Hartley, 23 Alex Lewington

Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank (c), 14 Tom Seabrook, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Tom James, 8 Sam Graham, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Chunya Munga, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 Sam Matavesi, 1 Ethan Waller
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Temo Mayanavanua, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Tom Litchfield, 23 George Hendy

Venue: StoneX Stadium
Kick-off: 16:30 GMT
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant Referees: Andrew Jackson, Greg Macdonald
TMO: Rowan Kitt

[Puja]

Farrell out with physical injury for this game. Leaves Saracens with a gaping weakness in that XV - quality everywhere you look until you get to 9 and 10.

Big test for Pearson. With TCurry out of the 6N, this is the kind of audition that he needs to be nailing.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Yeah, big test and great opportunity for Pearson. Same applies to Coles, Freeman and Dingwall. A number of interesting subplots in this game.

[Adam_P]

Wondered if we might stick with Furbank at 10 as he impressed last week, but I guess if your specialist is fit it makes sense to play him. Looking forward to seeing what Mayanavanua can bring to the squad now he's fit. Interesting to see Mitchell rotated, James has been good so far. Good competition.

[FKAS]

Wondered if we might stick with Furbank at 10 as he impressed last week, but I guess if your specialist is fit it makes sense to play him. Looking forward to seeing what Mayanavanua can bring to the squad now he's fit. Interesting to see Mitchell rotated, James has been good so far. Good competition.

Furbank played very well last weekend. Some areas where's he's normally considered a bit weaker he looked solid in. Bit of competition in the squad will be good for Saints there.

Mitchell being rotated to the bench is a bit weird. He's played all bar 4 minutes of the last two games. Odd to flog him in those two games to then rest him a bit for this.

[Banquo]

Wondered if we might stick with Furbank at 10 as he impressed last week, but I guess if your specialist is fit it makes sense to play him. Looking forward to seeing what Mayanavanua can bring to the squad now he's fit. Interesting to see Mitchell rotated, James has been good so far. Good competition.

Mitchell being rotated to the bench is a bit weird. He's played all bar 4 minutes of the last two games. Odd to flog him in those two games to then rest him a bit for this.

He was poor last week. I’m a fan, but he can be very poor.

[FKAS]

Wondered if we might stick with Furbank at 10 as he impressed last week, but I guess if your specialist is fit it makes sense to play him. Looking forward to seeing what Mayanavanua can bring to the squad now he's fit. Interesting to see Mitchell rotated, James has been good so far. Good competition.

Mitchell being rotated to the bench is a bit weird. He's played all bar 4 minutes of the last two games. Odd to flog him in those two games to then rest him a bit for this.

He was poor last week. I’m a fan, but he can be very poor.

He was especially poor late on though why you leave you 9 on for 80 mins when you've got a perfectly good replacement is beyond me.

[Adam_P]

I thought he had a mixed bag against Quin's - some good stuff and some bad. Like you say, was odd to have him on for the whole game when he was getting worse as the game went on.

[Danno]

Farrell out with physical injury for this game. Leaves Saracens with a gaping weakness in that XV - quality everywhere you look until you get to 9 and 10.

Big test for Pearson. With TCurry out of the 6N, this is the kind of audition that he needs to be nailing.

Puja

Surely the salary cap allows them some leveeway in the halfbacks

[Banquo]

I thought he had a mixed bag against Quin's - some good stuff and some bad. Like you say, was odd to have him on for the whole game when he was getting worse as the game went on.

his mistakes are usually a result of poor concentration, but too many last week.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Wondered if we might stick with Furbank at 10 as he impressed last week, but I guess if your specialist is fit it makes sense to play him. Looking forward to seeing what Mayanavanua can bring to the squad now he's fit. Interesting to see Mitchell rotated, James has been good so far. Good competition.

Furbank played very well last weekend. Some areas where's he's normally considered a bit weaker he looked solid in. Bit of competition in the squad will be good for Saints there.

Mitchell being rotated to the bench is a bit weird. He's played all bar 4 minutes of the last two games. Odd to flog him in those two games to then rest him a bit for this.

They did the same with James when MacParland was the understudy. He basically played 80 mins.

[Puja]

Exquisite journalism, BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67578474

Mitchell puts hand up for Farrell's England spot

Alex Mitchell made five appearances at the 2023 World Cup, including in England's semi-final defeat to South Africa

With Owen Farrell, who missed the match for Sarries with a knock, ruling himself out of the Six Nations for mental health reasons, Mitchell put his case forward for the vacant slot with a superb second-half try which ultimately proved the match-winner.

It was a handy response to the virtuoso performance of Harlequins' Marcus Smith - his rival for the Red Rose spot - which put the skids under Sale.

Puja

[FKAS]

Exquisite journalism, BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67578474

Mitchell puts hand up for Farrell's England spot

Alex Mitchell made five appearances at the 2023 World Cup, including in England's semi-final defeat to South Africa

With Owen Farrell, who missed the match for Sarries with a knock, ruling himself out of the Six Nations for mental health reasons, Mitchell put his case forward for the vacant slot with a superb second-half try which ultimately proved the match-winner.

It was a handy response to the virtuoso performance of Harlequins' Marcus Smith - his rival for the Red Rose spot - which put the skids under Sale.

Puja

wtf

[Mellsblue]

RR levels of insight.

[p/d]

CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this article, Alex Mitchell was mistakenly referred to as a fly-half who could target Owen Farrell's vacant England position.

[fivepointer]

Goodness that is unforgiveably amateurish from the BBC. Funny though.

Saints good winners. Showed impressive resilience and scored 2 excellent tries. Several players stood up well, notably Dingwall who i thought was all round first class.

Coles may have copped a nasty injury which was the game's low point.

[Adam_P]

I cursed Coles by making him captain of my fantasy team this week. Looked nasty on first viewing, hopefully not too serious. We've had a bad start to the season injury wise.

Enjoyed what Mayanavanua brought in the second 40 - looks to have the running and offloading skills to slot into our play well, but also more powerful in the carry than our other locks.

[FKAS]

Saints are really looking a lot tougher with the new defence coach in situ. Could well be the signing of the summer for them.

[Mellsblue]

They let in 60pts over the previous two matches and were playing against an attack managed by a crap halfback pairing. Let’s not get too excited.

[Banquo]

Goodness that is unforgiveably amateurish from the BBC. Funny though.

notably Dingwall who i thought was all round first class.

as usual tbf

[Mellsblue]

Goodness that is unforgiveably amateurish from the BBC. Funny though.

notably Dingwall who i thought was all round first class.

as usual tbf

BBC or Dingers?

[Banquo]

Goodness that is unforgiveably amateurish from the BBC. Funny though.

notably Dingwall who i thought was all round first class.

as usual tbf

BBC or Dingers?

both