Match Preview: Saracens v Harlequins
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Saracens and Harlequins meet in the highly-anticipated Showdown 4 on Saturday, as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium throws open its doors to Gallagher Premiership Rugby.
Saracens have played two previous matches at the North London ground, beating Bristol there in March 2022 and this weekend's opponents, Harlequins, a year later.
Saracens have won just two of their last five Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches and both of those were at StoneX Stadium, against Newcastle Falcons and Exeter Chiefs.
Captain Owen Farrell will make his 250th Saracens appearance and will lead the team out alongside his children in a special moment.
The Men in Black welcome back their Six Nations stars for what is always one of the great days in the sporting calendar, with 18 internationals named in the matchday squad.
Mark McCall’s side could leapfrog their London rivals with a victory which would put them back on course for a top-two finish as we enter The Run-In.
Harlequins have won just three of their last seven Gallagher Premiership Rugby fixtures but have won three times on the road this season, at Bristol Bears in Round 3, Leicester Tigers in Round 5, and Newcastle Falcons in Round 11.
They have been bolstered by the return of six internationals, with England's Joe Marler, Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care and Marcus Smith named alongside Italy wing Louis Lynagh and Welsh prop Dillon Lewis.
TV: Live on ITV & TNT Sports, kick-off 3.05pm
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant Referees: Joe James and Simon Harding
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Saracens: 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Theo Dan, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Theo McFarland, 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Billy Vunipola; 9 Ivan van Zyl, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 11 Alex Lewington, 12 Nick Tompkins, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Rotimi Segun, 15 Elliot Daly
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Tom Willis, 21 Andy Christie, 22 Gareth Simpson, 23 Alex Goode
Harlequins: 1. Joe Marler 2. Jack Walker 3. Will Collier 4. Joe Launchbury 5. George Hammond 6. Stephan Lewies (Captain) 7. Will Evans 8. Alex Dombrandt 9. Danny Care 10. Marcus Smith 11. Cadan Murley 12. Andre Esterhuizen 13. Oscar Beard 14. Louis Lynagh 15. Tyrone Green
Impact Players: 16. Sam Riley 17. Fin Baxter 18. Dillon Lewis 19. Irne Herbst 20. Will Trenholm 21. Max Green 22. Luke Northmore 23. Nick David
Oval Insights
Saracens
- Both Hugh Tizard and Andy Christie made three offloads in Round 12; no player made more.
- James Hadfield won more turnovers than any other player in the last round, a total of three. Billy Vunipola also won two.
- Of the five players who have attempted the most defensive catches this season, Alex Goode has the best success rate (90.5%). His success rate for pressured catches is also the highest (77.8%).
- Saracens have scored more maul tries than any other team so far this season, a total of nine.
Harlequins
- In his last league appearance, Tyrone Green beat a round-high 12 defenders and made a round-high 154 metres. He also made two clean breaks and scored a try.
- Will Evans, Alex Dombrandt, and James Chisholm lead the Premiership for turnovers won, having won 14, 12, and ten respectively.
- Harlequins have the highest rate of scrum success in the league (96.3%) but have won the joint-fewest scrum penalties (19).
- Harlequins matches have averaged the second-most ball in play time this season, an average of 38:51 per match
