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Eleven Test players named in stacked Saracens team for Doncaster
By PA
Owen Farrell has recovered from a calf problem in time to lead Saracens in their Greene King IPA Championship match against Doncaster at Castle Park on Sunday.
The England captain missed last weekend’s rout of Bedford because of the injury, but has been restored to fitness for a pivotal two rounds in the push for an immediate return to the Gallagher Premiership.
Farrell had recovered from the concussion sustained at the end of the Guinness Six Nations only to then suffer the strain in training, extending his spell on the sidelines.
All of Saracens’ England contingent are named in the starting XV, while Wales centre Nick Tompkins makes his first appearance since returning from his loan spell at the Dragons, partnering Elliot Daly in midfield.
Director of rugby Mark McCall has made five changes to the side who thumped Bedford 54-13, with the selection of lock Tim Swinson, flanker Mike Rhodes and openside Sean Reffell completing the adjustments.
Doncaster are second in the Championship table with five wins from five games and, a week after facing the Knights, third-placed Saracens face leaders Ealing at home.
Tompkins will be making his 119th Saracens appearance and first since February 2020, when he also made his Wales debut.
“I’m really excited to be back. It’s my home so it’s been tough being away, especially watching the guys in another league. I’ve missed it a lot,” Tompkins said.
“This is the most nervous I’ve been in a while as you want to get that respect back from the boys and build those relationships again.”
SARACENS:
15 Elliott Obatoyinbo
14 Alex Lewington
13 Elliot Daly
12 Nick Tompkins
11 Sean Maitland
10 Owen Farrell (c)
9 Aled Davies
1 Mako Vunipola
2 Jamie George
3 Vincent Koch
4 Maro Itoje
5 Tim Swinson
6 Michael Rhodes
7 Sean Reffell
8 Billy Vunipola
REPLACEMENTS:
16 Tom Woolstencroft
17 Richard Barrington
18 Alec Clarey
19 Callum Hunter-Hill
20 Andy Christie
21 Tom Whiteley
22 Manu Vunipola
23 Dom Morris
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Latest Comments
I think we need to get innovative with the new laws.
Now red cards are only 20 minutes, Razor should send Finau on a head hunting mission to hospitalise their 10 with a shoulder to the chops.
Give the conspiracy theorists a win.
Go to commentsEngland played well enough to win but couldnt score when they needed to and couldnt defend a couple of X-Factor moments from Telea which was ultimately the difference. They needed to hold the ball more and make the AB's make more tackles. Territorially they were good for the first 60. Defending their lead and playing pragmatic rugby in the last 20 was silly. The AB's always had the potential to come back. England still have a long way to go, definite progress would have been shown had they won but it seems they are still stuck where they were shortly after the six nations and their tour to NZ
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