2011/12 Aviva Premiership Match Preview: Saracens vs Sale Sharks
Saracens will be looking forward for their seventh consecutive win of the 2011/12 Aviva Premiership season as they host the Sale Sharks in their eighth match of the English premiership during
the weekend. Saracens will host the Sale Sharks during a round eight encounters of the 2011/12 Aviva Premiership at Vicarage Road, Watford on Sunday, November 6.
Saracens and Sale Sharks are placed at the second and third place on the 2011/12 Aviva Premiership table with 26 and 19 points respectively. Following their defeat in the season opener against
London Wasps, Saracens has won their remaining six games of the premiership. They also have secured a try bonus point and losing bonus point.
On the other hand, Sale Sharks have won four of their seven games and ended on the losing side in their other three games. They have secured a try bonus point and two losing bonus points to
finish third on the table.
Saracens Director of Rugby, Mark McCall, has made two changes to their upcoming weekend encounter. In the forwards pack, Deon Carstens will start the match at flanker position in place of Rhys
Gill, who is dropped from the 23-man squad altogether.
The only other change is in the backs, as Chris Wyles resumes his duty at the winger position to make his return to the squad at the end of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Wyles makes the starting
lineup at the expense of James Short who moves on to the bench for the weekend encounter.
Adam Powell is also named in the match-day squad and he will start the match from the bench.
Sale Sharks on other hand will play in the absence of their first choice scrumhalves Dwayne Peel and Scott Mathie. The duo will miss out the weekend match due to injuries.
Sale Sharks' Executive Director of Sport, Steve Diamond, is confident that his side will deliver good performance against the Saracens on their home turf. He added, “They are one of the top
super clubs in England right now and if you get anything from them away from home, then you are doing well.”
Diamond further added, “In the end it's all about our performance this weekend. If we get it right in our set piece and defence then we stand a chance of getting something out of the game.”
Both teams have announced their match day squads. The detail of the squad is given below-
Saracens
Starting XV: 15 Alex Goode, 14 David Strettle, 13 Owen Farrell, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Jacques Burger, 6 Kelly
Brown, 5 Mouritz Botha, 4 Steve Borthwick (c), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Deon Carstens.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Matt Stevens, 19 Hayden Smith, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Adam Powell, 23 James Short.
Sale Sharks
Starting XV: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Will Addison, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Sam Tuitupou (c), 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Nick Macleod, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Andy Powell, 7 David Seymour, 6 Richie Vernon,
5 James Gaskell, 4 Fraser McKenzie, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.
Replacements: 16 Marc Jones, 17 Vadim Cobilas, 18 Tony Buckley, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Mark Easter, 21 Cillian Willis, 22 Tasesa Lavea, 23 Tom Brady.
Tags: