Sunday 16 November 2014 12:14, UK
While England’s clash with South Africa at Twickenham takes centre stage this weekend, the Aviva Premiership returns with a number of players bidding to stake their claims for both club and country.
For those on the fringes of international call-ups and club starting berths the autumn international schedule provides a prize opportunity.
Sunday’s billing sees two Premiership heavyweights lock horns with 10-time champions Leicester Tigers hosting title favourites Saracens at Welford Road, while London Welsh’s search for a first win of the season continues as they face Wasps at Adams Park.
Dubbed by many as champions-elect at the start of the season, Saracens will aim to keep pace with Premiership leaders Northampton Saints when they travel to the Midlands to take on Leicester.
Entering Round Seven the reigning champions boasted a three-point advantage over Saracens and their Friday night clash with Exeter offers chance to further extend their hold on the lead.
If Saracens are to remain on the heels of Northampton they will have to break a formidable home record for the Tigers, who have lost just one of their last 10 Premiership outings at Welford Road – losing to London Irish in Round Four.
However, Saracens have lost just once in the Premiership this term: 11-21 at Bath in their most recent away game in the tournament, and have not lost on successive away trips since New Year 2011.
The Tigers have won only one of their last four league encounters with Saracens since the 2012 semi-final: 31-27 at Welford Road in this equivalent fixture last season. Saracens have won on four of their last six visits to Leicester.
After making a successful return from his neck injury in the LV= Cup last weekend England prop Dan Cole starts for the Tigers, who are captained by New Zealand’s World Cup winner Brad Thorn.
Thorn is joined by England squad member Graham Kitchener in the second row, while Blaine Scully returns from international duty with the USA to take his place in the Leicester back line.
For Saracens, Alex Goode returns from England duty to take the No 15 jersey and starts alongside in-form wingers Chris Ashton and David Strettle.
Marcelo Bosch comes into the side after his spell with Argentina and is joined by USA international Chris Wyles in midfield, while Jacques Burger returns to the Saracens back-row after a try-scoring performance with Namibia.
On Sunday Wasps will make their 131st and final game at Adams Park and will look to bow out on a high with winless London Welsh the guests.
Dai Young's men will be keen to end their tenure in High Wycombe in a similar manner to how it began - they beat Bristol 38-35 on their debut at the venue in 2002.
While London Welsh have struggled so far this year, their opponents have had a promising start to the season - recording three wins and three losses to sit fifth in the league.
History will also be with the hosts as Welsh have lost each of the three previous games between the teams while in every one of Wasps' last ten Premiership fixtures, the home side on the day has left victorious.
England flanker James Haskell returns from the national team’s training base at Pennyhill Park to captain Wasps, with Nathan Hughes and Ashley Johnson joining him in the back row.
Andy Goode and Joe Simpson resume their familiar axis pairing, while Chris Bell and Elliot Daly team up in midfield for Young’s side while Alex Lozowski, who has impressed in the LV= Cup, gets a nod on the bench.
For the Exiles, new signings Chris Hala’ufia and Opeti Fonua have both been named in the matchday squad for the trip to Adams Park.
Hala’ufia, who made two appearances for Welsh last month during a two-week loan period, is named at No 8 in one of seven changes from the Exiles’ starting line up which faced Gloucester Rugby last Sunday in the LV= Cup. Fonua is named among the replacements.
In the forwards, Pablo Henn and Taione Vea are named in the front row, while club captain Matt Corker partners James Down in the second row and Lachlan McCaffrey returns to the side at openside flanker for his first appearance since October 4.
