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Saracens up the Championship ante by naming a star-studded XV to face Bedford that includes Itoje and co

(Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Promotion-chasing Saracens have massively upped the ante ahead of their latest Championship match on Sunday against Bedford, Mark McCall recalling England internationals Elliot Daly, Mako Vunipola, Maro Itoje and Billy Vunipola for their first competitive outing at club level in quite a considerable time. 

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Daly, Itoje and Billy Vunipola last lined out for Saracens in the final Gallagher Premiership match of last season, the October 4 draw with Bath 27 weeks ago while Mako Vunipola’s most recent appearance came in the previous week’s agonising Heineken Champions Cup semi-final loss to Racing in Paris.     

They all now come back into a Saracens team skippered by England colleague Jamie George, who made his return to club action in the recent win at Richmond. 

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Northampton and Wales out-half Dan Biggar guests on RugbyPass All Access

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Northampton and Wales out-half Dan Biggar guests on RugbyPass All Access

The latest team selection comes at the end of a week where Owen Farrell was announced as the permanent skipper at a club looking to rebuild following its automatic demotion for repeated salary cap breaches. Farrell misses out this Sunday, though, with what was vaguely described as a “slight strain”.  

“All of the international players are ready to crack on with rugby now,” said McCall on the Saracens website. “They are back in with their teammates. It’s great to have them back and they are all keen to roll their sleeves up.

“The history of these players coming back from international windows has always been really positive. They have been amazing the attitude they have brought. They have brought a real life to the place and it has been incredibly positive.

“It’s a time of the season which our players have always enjoyed. We have always played important games over April and May in the last few years and as it happens some of the games we are going to play are going to be as important.”

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SARACENS (vs Bedford, Sunday): 15. Elliott Obatoyinbo; 14. Alex Lewington, 13, Elliot Daly, 12. Duncan Taylor, 11. Sean Maitland; 10. Manu Vunipola, 9. Aled Davies; 1. Mako Vunipola, 2. Jamie George (capt), 3. Vincent Koch, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Joel Kpoku, 6. Andy Christie, 7. Jackson Wray, 8. Billy Vunipola. Reps: 16. Ethan Lewis, 17. Ralph Adams-Hale, 18. Alec Clarey, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Janco Venter, 21. Tom Whiteley, 22. Juan Pablo Socino, 23. Dom Morris.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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