11 changes for Saracens as they get used to their relegated status in the Premiership

Saracens have made eleven changes to their side following last Sunday’s Champions Cup pool win over Racing 92 as they pick up the thread of their now meaningless Gallagher Premiership campaign.

Ever since early November’s 35-point deduction, the London club had been prioritising safeguarding their league status ahead of their European hopes. 

However, that emphasis all changed last weekend when they opted for automatic league relegation rather than open up their books for the 2019/20 season to salary cap scrutiny. 

Saracens managed to keep alive their European title retention bid, beating Racing to secure a quarter-final trip to Leinster. 

In the meantime, the league has become of secondary interest given that no matter what they do on the pitch they will be playing in the Championship in 2020/21. 

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Allied to multiple Six Nations squad call-ups and Will Skelton’s suspension, Saracens will take on Harlequins on Sunday with just four of the same starters they fielded last weekend in Europe at Allianz Park, skipper Brad Barritt, Rotimi Segun, Vincent Koch and Jackson Wray. 

Elsewhere, their XV has been massively shaken up with starts for the likes of Matt Gallagher at full-back, Richard Wigglesworth and Manu Vunipola at half-back, while in the pack academy loanee Callum Hunter-Hill features for the first time since November and pairs up with academy lock Joel Kpoku.

On the bench, Elliott Obatoyinbo could make his Premiership debut.

SARACENS (vs Harlequins): 15. Matt Gallagher; 14. Alex Lewington, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Brad Barritt (capt), 11. Rotimi Segun; 10. Manu Vunipola, 9. Richard Wigglesworth; 1. Richard Barrington, 2. Jack Singleton, 3. Vincent Koch, 4. Callum Hunter-Hill, 5. Joel Kpoku, 6. Nick Isiekwe, 7. Calum Clark, 8. Jackson Wray. Reps: 16. Tom Woolstencroft, 17. Titi Lamositele, 18. Josh Ibuanokpe, 19. Andy Christie, 20. Sean Reffell, 21. Ben Spencer, 22. Dom Morris, 23. Elliott Obatoyinbo. 

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