Saracens roll out the big guns for Cardiff, including Owen Farrell

Saracens have made nine changes to their starting XV to host Cardiff in this Sunday's Challenge Cup round of 16 tie in London, Owen Farrell skippering a team that includes the recalled Maro Itoje, Max Malins and Sean Maitland. Mark McCall's side cut Brive to ribbons in France last weekend, running up a 55-5 win to progress to the knockout stages of the second-tier European competition.

Fit-again England skipper Farrell was in the vanguard of that eight tries to one success and he will now lead Saracens out again at home this weekend in what will be his third match on the comeback trail since the two ankle operations that sidelined him for four months.

Farrell takes his place in a Saracens backline showing four changes from their French trip, Malins and Maitland taking over on the wings from Alex Lewington and Rotimi Segun. Dom Morris comes into the midfield in place of Elliot Daly with Aled Davies starting at scrum-half for Ivan van Zyl.

There are five changes to the pack, most notably the inclusion of England talisman Itoje instead of his Test colleague Nick Isiekwe. Richard Barrington is at loosehead for Eroni Mawi, Kapeli Pifeleti at hooker for Tom Woolstencroft, Tim Swinson at lock for Theo McFarland and in the back row, Ben Earl starts this week instead of the benched Billy Vunipola.

Fellow back-rower Andy Christie said: “Cardiff are a strong side who have a lot of big names in their team. I’m excited about it, I’ve never played against them but hopefully, we’re on it like we were last week. We’re looking for consistent performance for 80 minutes and whenever there is a trophy on the line it goes without saying that you want to win.”

SARACENS (vs Cardiff, Sunday)

1 Richard Barrington

2 Kapeli Pifeleti

3 Alec Clarey

4 Maro Itoje

5 Tim Swinson

6 Andy Christie

7 Ben Earl

8 Jackson Wray

9 Aled Davies

10 Owen Farrell (capt)

11 Max Malins

12 Duncan Taylor

13 Dom Morris

14 Sean Maitland

15 Alex Goode

Replacements:

16 Ethan Lewis

17 Eroni Mawi

18 Sam Wainwright

19 Theo McFarland

20 Billy Vunipola

21 Ivan van Zyl

22 Manu Vunipola

23 Rotimi Según