Scarbrough returns for Sarries
Scrum.com
February 28, 2008

Saracens welcome back England international Dan Scarbrough to the starting line-up for Saturday's Guinness Premiership clash at London Irish.

The 30-year-old full back will make his first start for nearly five months against the Exiles having fully recovered from knee surgery and is one of a number of changes to the line-up named by Director of Rugby Alan Gaffney.

In the forwards, Cobus Visagie gets the nod at tight-head prop while Hugh Vyvyan, David Seymour and Ben Skirving all return to the starting line-up.

Glen Jackson also returns from the hamstring injury that saw him ruled out last week while Francisco Leonelli and Rodd Penney swap positions.

"We're not expecting Kevin Sorrell back for another few weeks so we're going to give Francisco a run at outside centre - a position he has played at international level," explained Gaffney. "That also allows us to move Rodd back to the wing where he has performed well for us and it gives him a bit more freedom to play.

"We've addressed a few things in training this week and we've all agreed that we've been lacking a bit of ambition on certain areas of the pitch. We seem to have gone away from the principles that have served us so well and we have to get back to the way we have been playing for the past 18 months.

"We face a tough challenge at London Irish and they are a very good team and with guys like Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy in the side, they have one of the best defensive lineouts in the competition - the statistics prove that. While they have a few injuries in midfield like us, they can play with pace and have firepower and experience across the pitch."

In injury news, Andy Farrell (rib), Kevin Sorrell (ankle) and Matt Cairns (arm) all miss out.

Saracens line-up vs London Irish

15 Dan Scarbrough
14 Richard Haughton
13 Francisco Leonelli
12 Adam Powell
11 Rodd Penney
10 Glen Jackson
9 Neil De Kock

1 Nick Lloyd
2 Fabio Ongaro
3 Cobus Visagie
4 Chris Jack
5 Hugh Vyvyan
6 Paul Gustard
7 David Seymour
8 Ben Skirving

16 Andy Kyriacou
17 Cencus Johnston
18 Tom Ryder
19 Kris Chesney
20 Alan Dickens
21 Brent Russell
22 Kameli Ratuvou

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