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One Change for Sarries at Bottom-Placed Bristol

Ben Skirving
By Jason Harris September 30 2008
Saracens aim make it three wins on the bounce, and in doing so register their first away Permiership victory in 2008 as they take on a Bristol team looking to haul themselves from the foot fo the table under the Memorial Ground floodlights on Wednesday night.

Eddie Jones has been forced to make one change to the starting line-up that beat both Northampton and Newcastle in the last two rounds with Ben Skirving coming in at blindside flanker in place of the injured Chris Jack, while Nick Lloyd takes Skirving's place on the bench.

Jones said "Traveling to Bristol is going to be a tough test and we will have to improve our performance levels once again to get the result we want. They will fight for everything and we will have to match and better that. In the second half against Northampton, we got stuck in and won the physical battle and that is something we will have to do every week.
 

Richard Hill has also made changes to his team and will hope the return of Adrian Jarvis at outside half, and introduction of Mariano Sambucetti and Alfie To'oala in place of Roy Winters and Matt Salter respectively, will help them close the gap on 11th-placed Worcester.

The omens don't look good for Bristol as they have won just one of the past five clashes with Sarries, an 18-3 win at the same venue last season, and have suffered a 10-match losing streak in the Premiership,  but Hill is adamant that, despite a 0-4 start to the season, his team will be up to the task

"We've gone back to the side that went pretty well against Sale. [A game which Bristol lost 9-6 at home]We're hoping we can produce the same intensity but improve the performance slightly to clinch a win."

Saracens line-up vs Bristol

15 Richard Haughton
14 Rodd Penney
13 Kevin Sorrell
12 Adam Powell
11 Kameli Ratuvou
10 Glen Jackson
9 Neil de Kock

1 Matias Aguero
2 Fabio Ongaro
3 Cencus Johnston
4 Steve Borthwick ©
5 Hugh Vyvyan
6 Ben Skirving
7 Andy Saull
8 Michael Owen


16 Matt Cairns
17 Cobus Visagie
18 Nick Lloyd
19 Kris Chesney
20 Moses Rauluni
21 Gordon Ross
22 Chris Wyles

Bristol Rugby

Luke Arscott; Tom Arscott, Neil Brew, Ed Barnes, David Lemi; Adrian Jarvis, Graeme Beveridge; Alex Clarke, Scott Linklater, Jason Hobson; Mariano Sambucetti, Nathan Budgett; Alfie To'oala, Joe El Abd (capt), Dan Ward-Smith

Replacements: David Blaney, Peter Bracken, Robert Sidoli, Andrew Blowers, Haydn Thomas, Luke Eves, Greg Barden

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Re: One Change for Sarries at Bottom-Placed Bristol
Posted by: The Bard (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:09:30:12:12:37

Surprised to see Del starting after the way he limped out of Saturday's game, particularly now that Russell and Franny Lee are fit again. Let's hope he gets back to last seasons form again!

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Re: One Change for Sarries at Bottom-Placed Bristol
Posted by: IcemanFez (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:09:30:14:23:18

I like this idea (and the luxury with almost no injuries) of starting with an unchamged side. It gives some stability, and when changes are enforced on us later on, hopefully there will be a core that the others can attach onto.

Fortunate as well that I cannot think of anyone who deserved to be dropped, even Ross has played well when he has come on.

So long may it continue, but presumably it must be taking it's toll, unless the conditioning coaches have got it spot on.

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