Saracens team to face Leicester Tigers

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Premiership, Saracens

All eyes are on Welford Road on Saturday as Saracens face Leicester Tigers in the semi-finals of the Aviva Premiership.

In team news ahead of the game, Charlie Hodgson returns to start at fly half with Owen Farrell named at centre for the knockout clash. Will Fraser returns to the starting line-up while Matt Stevens and Carlos Nieto swap places with the England prop starting and Nieto among the replacements.

Chris Wyles moves to the wing with James Short on the bench along with the likes of John Smit, Richard Wigglesworth and Hugh Vyvyan.

Justin Melck has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury in the final minute of the match against Exeter Chiefs last weekend. The flanker underwent surgery on a damaged ACL on Thursday and is set to be ruled out for up to nine months.

“It’s a massive match,” explained Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall. “We’ve had a very good week of preparation but we know it is going to be a very tough game and we will have to be at our best to get the result we want.

“Leicester have a phenomenal semi final record but we have had some excellent performances in recent weeks with wins against London Irish, Newcastle Falcons and Exeter Chiefs so we are really looking forward to the match.”

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Farrell ruled out of Saracen’s starting line-up

Posted on Apr 13, 2012 in English Rugby, Premiership, Saracens

Saracens return to Aviva Premiership action on Saturday when they face London Irish at the Madejski Stadium.

In team news ahead of the round 20 clash, Saracens make four changes to the starting side. In the forwards, George Kruis and Jackson Wray are named in the starting XV with Mouritz Botha and Justin Melck on the replacement’s bench.

In the backs, Neil de Kock and Michael Tagicakibau both start with Richard Wigglesworth on the bench and Owen Farrell ruled out with a minor knock. On the bench, Joel Tomkins comes into the matchday squad with James Short also ruled out with a minor knock.

Saracens line-up vs London Irish

15 Alex Goode
14 David Strettle
13 Chris Wyles
12 Brad Barritt
11 Michael Tagicakibau
10 Charlie Hodgson
9 Neil de Kock
1 Rhys Gill
2 Schalk Brits
3 Matt Stevens
4 Steve Borthwick ©
5 George Kruis
6 Jackson Wray
7 Will Fraser
8 Ernst Joubert

16 Jamie George
17 Mako Vunipola
18 Carlos Nieto
19 Mouritz Botha
20 Justin Melck
21 Richard Wigglesworth
22 Adam Powell
23 Joel Tomkins

England go for adventure–Flood at inside centre

Posted on Oct 6, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Toby Flood will start at inside centre alongside Jonny Wilkinson at fly half in one of four changes to Martin Johnson’s side for the Rugby World Cup quarter final against France at Eden Park on Saturday, kick off 8.30am UK time.

Leicester Tigers’ Flood is joined in the starting XV by lock Tom Palmer, No 8 Nick Easter and wing Mark Cueto who all come in for Courtney Lawes, James Haskell and Delon Armitage respectively.

Lawes and Haskell drop down to the bench, alongside three other forwards in Dylan Hartley, Alex Corbisiero and Simon Shaw, with Richard Wigglesworth covering the halfback positions and Matt Banahan the rest of the backline.

England
15 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
14 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
12 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
11 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
10 Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
1 Matt Stevens (Saracens)
2 Steve Thompson (London Wasps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
4 Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers)
5 Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
7 Lewis Moody (Bath Rugby, capt)
8 Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Replacements
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
17 Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
18 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
19 Simon Shaw (Unattached)
20 James Haskell (Ricoh Black Rams)
21 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
22 Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby)

Matt Stevens gets the call as England RWC training squad announced

Posted on Jun 20, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

ENGLAND today announced a 45-strong Preliminary Training Squad for the Rugby World Cup.

All of the 2011 RBS 6 Nations squad are included, while there are call-ups for Saracens’ Matt Stevens and Mouritz Botha and Gloucester wing Charlie Sharples, all of whom helped England Saxons retain the Churchill Cup against Canada on Saturday.

Also named are Thomas Waldrom and Manusamoa Tuilagi – Rugby Players’ Association Player and Aviva Premiership Young Player of the Year respectively – as well as Richard Wigglesworth from champions Saracens.

England Team Manager Martin Johnson said: “Every one of these players has the chance to be in that final 30 going to New Zealand. The camp is going to be intense and competitive, as you would expect leading up to a World Cup, but all the players are ready for it.

“We have guys such as Lewis, Jonny and Mike Tindall who have been in this situation before but also a lot of players who won’t have experienced a World Cup training camp. It’s now up to all of them to set down their marker over the next 10 weeks before we head to New Zealand.”

Forwards (25)
Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
George Chuter (Leicester Tigers)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers)
Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints)
Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Hendre Fourie (Sale Sharks)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Unattached)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)
Lewis Moody (Bath Rugby)
Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)
Tim Payne (London Wasps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks)
Matt Stevens  (Saracens)
Steve Thompson (London Wasps)
Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)
Joe Worsley (London Wasps)

Backs (20)
Delon Armitage (London Irish)
Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby)
Danny Care (Harelquins)
Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)
Riki Flutey (London Wasps)
Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)
Shontayne Hape (London Irish)
Charlie Hodgson (Saracens)
Ugo Monye (Harelequins)
Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby)
David Strettle (Saracens)
Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby)
Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

* The final 30-man squad will be announced on Monday, August 22

Sharks team to face Wasps – Sheriden back in training

Posted on Nov 26, 2009 in Rugby News

Sale Sharks Director of Rugby Kingsley Jones has announced his team to play London Wasps at Edgeley Park on Friday evening. There is a slight doubt over Lee Thomas who has been suffering with a hamstring problem. If Lee fails a fitness test his place will be taken by David Bishop

Kingsley said, ” It’s a quick turnaround this week following the win at Leeds on Sunday. I am delighted to welcome back Mark Cueto and Mathew Tait and have rotated the squad in several positions. We have five big games coming up in quick succession starting with this Friday’s game and I am sure that all my squad will feature at some stage. Wasps had a good start to the campaign and I am sure they will be looking to make up some lost ground after defeats to Leeds and Saracens. Wasps are one of the best sides in the Guinness Premiership and we need to respect them for the whole 80 minutes. We need to be patient too as we were at Leeds and if we show the same character I am sure it will be a great game.”

Team

Marika Vakacegu, Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait, Lee Thomas/David Bishop, Ben Cohen, Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth, Eifion Roberts, Neil Briggs, Jack Forster, Dean Schofield, Sean Cox, Carl Fearns, Luke Abraham, Sisa Koyamaibole

Replacements

Marc Jones, Rob O’Donnell, Martin Halsall, James Gaskell, David Seymour, Chris Leck, Chris Bell, Nick Macleod

Stand By Players

Gavin Kerr, Kristian Ormsby, Ed Styles and Oriol Ripol

ANDREW SHERIDAN

Andrew Sheridan has returned to light training after his shoulder operation and is making progress.