Saracens name strong XV to take on Bristol

Juan Pablo Socino will make his Saracens debut when Mark McCall’s side take on Bristol Bears this Saturday in their first Premiership rugby outing since March.

The Argentinian joined the automatically relegated Londoners this summer and forms a midfield with Dom Morris who scored last time out against Leicester Tigers.

Wing Alex Lewington crossed the whitewash twice in that game and is joined in the back three by Rotimi Segun and Sean Maitland. Club stalwarts Richard Wigglesworth and Alex Goode line-up at nine and 10 with near 550 Sarries appearances between them.

Former Scotland international Alex Grove guests in the latest episode of The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series

Former Scotland international Alex Grove guests in the latest episode of The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series

Mike Rhodes is set for his first run out in starting jersey this season after making his sole outing as a replacement before lockdown.

Billy Vunipola and Jackson Wray take the other spots in the back row. ??Jamie George will captain the side from hooker alongside props Mako Vunipola and Vincent Koch, and Maro Itoje partners Callum Hunter-Hill in the second row.

Team's up! ?

? @J_George2 captains the side
? @MamutSocino set for his Sarries debut
? Five World Cup final starters

Full team news for Sarries trip to Bristol Bears ?? https://t.co/p8apEQ1MKc#TogetherSaracens pic.twitter.com/7aV3985AAJ

— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) August 14, 2020

On the Premiership bench for Saracens are front row duo Eroni Mawi and Alec Clarey could make their club debuts as could scrum-half Aled Davies and centre Harry Sloan.

SARACENS (vs Bristol, Saturday)

15 Sean Maitland (73)

14 Alex Lewington (47)

13 Dom Morris (18)

12 Juan Pablo Socino (0)

11 Rotimi Segun (30)

10 Alex Goode (297)

9 Richard Wigglesworth (246)

1 Mako Vunipola (168)

2 Jamie George (226)

3 Vincent Koch (81)

4 Maro Itoje (119)

5 Callum Hunter-Hill (15)

6 Mike Rhodes (93)

7 Jackson Wray (245)

8 Billy Vunipola (110)

Replacements ??

16 Tom Woolstencroft (34)

17 Eroni Mawi (0)

18 Alec Clarey (0)

19 Joel Kpoku (30)

20 Sean Reffell (19)

21 Aled Davies (0)

22 Harry Sloan (0)

23 Elliott Obatoyinbo (10)

Rugby's back in England this weekend and it's going to be strange with no crowds… here's what former @Harlequins wing @timbovisser told RugbyPass earlier this summer about the experience of playing behind closed doors with no fans #rugbyhttps://t.co/eJSbZsRx8u

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 14, 2020