[GC89]

With the match against Leicester looking like a "must-win" already, I think we need to mix it up a bit to figure out what our strongest XV is (and to reflect what was one of the worst games I can remember watching from us in recent years - and that's saying something!).

So for Sarries I would go with:

1. Dell
2. Fainga'a
3. Hoskins
4. Van der Merwe
5. Botha
6. Rogerson
7. Ioane
8. Tuisue

9. Meehan
10. Jackson
11. Rona
12. Brophy-Clews
13. Campbell
14. Loader
15. Veitokani

16. MacMillan (assuming Matu'u/Porecki not available)
17. Hobbs-Awoyemi
18. Chatawama
19. Nott
20. Cowan
21. Steele
22. Williams
23. Parton

[MattM]

Good team. I would change Williams or Parton for Atkins as I don't really like the idea of Theo ending up at 10 but no real complaints.
We should, I think, have Matu'u back so would be tempted to start him.

[Stevie J]

Matu'u is back at Hazelwood but unsure if he would be ready to start. He'd certainly add some carrying with Porecki still out.

Dell I think was taken off after coming on, seemingly injured so I would think it'll be Danny and Harry on that side again. Which is a shame because that firm, artificial surface would likely play to Dell's strengths as a mobile prop.

Intial forecast is, guess what, rain for Saturday. So you might want to be ready for that boys this time. Please.

[Margin_Walker]

Could be an interesting game. Sarries have plenty of players unavailable with injury, but the side they can put out still looks extremely strong. Something like this (stolen from the Sarries board)

15. Matt Gallagher; 14. Sean Maitland; 13. Duncan Taylor; 12. Nick Tompkins; 11. Alex Lewington; 10. Manu Vunipola; 9. Richard Wigglesorth; 1. Richard Barrington; 2. Tom Woolstencroft; 3. Titi Lamositele; 4. Will Skelton; 5. Nick Isiekwe; 6. Calum Clark; 7. Ben Earl; 8. Jackson Wray

Hopefully we'll see Matu'u back in the 23. Wouldn't mind seeing Elrington starting either if Dell isn't 100%. It's not really been happening for Danny yet.

Strong Sarries back three likely so agree that Parton and OHC playing would be pretty risky. Rona to the wing would make sense for me. The one player I'd like to see involved is Stephenson. He's been back training for a while now and I think he presents more of a threat with ball in hand than our other centres if he can pick up where he left off before his injury. Either that or give Williams an opportunity. Bryce is still a little one dimensional for me.

[GC89]

If Stephenson is fit then he is one of the first names on the teamsheet for me (at present). I just wasn't aware he was back training, but if he is then I would be more than happy to see him start. I agree that Campbell is a bit one dimensional, but after the Sale game it would just be nice to see us make some ground in the midfield rather than being pushed back every time we take it into contact.

[Margin_Walker]

Really not sure if he's match ready, but have definitely seen Tom running drills with the team in some of the training photos the club has released.

Campbell could definitely be one for a wet day like last weekend where we just need to get over the gainline. Perhaps not so much if it's drier and you want the wingers to see a lot of the ball. Horses for courses really. Hepetema/Rona certainly not clicking too much there at the moment though.

Even if we do lose at the weekend it would be nice to show some serious improvement from the Sale game before a massive game against Leicester the following week. Chance of Naholo perhaps being involved for that one depending on what his schedule is.

[GC89]

The Leicester game is must-win for me, especially with Worcester making a decent start to the season. Tigers and Wasps look like the most likely sides for us to catch and so we need to be taking points off them both.

[Margin_Walker]

Early days, but I think Worcester will still be in the mix at the bottom of the table. Leicester and Wasps certainly look vulnerable though.

[GHA]

London Irish:
15 Paddy Jackson, 14 Matt Williams, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Tom Stephenson, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Ben Meehan, 1 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, 2 Saia Fainga’a, 3 Ollie Hoskins, 4 Ruan Botha, 5 Franco van der Merwe ©, 6 Blair Cowan, 7 TJ Ioane, 8 Albert Tuisue

Replacements:
16 Motu Matu’u, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Patric Cilliers, 19 George Nott, 20 Matt Rogerson, 21 Scott Steele, 22 Brendan Macken, 23 Ollie Hassell-Collins

Saracens:
15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 1 Richard Barington, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 3 Titi Lamositele, 4 Will Skelton, 5 Callum Hunter-Hill, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Jackson Wray (c)

Replacements:
16 Joe Gray, 17 Ralph Adams-Hale, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Sean Reffell, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 Alex Lewington

[Margin_Walker]

Highlights up. Vast improvement in terms of performance over last week. I just can't get over that last decision though. Really not one to moan about refs usually and it only cost one point. I just don't understand what he was looking at. Taylor makes the tackle assist (no arms, but you don't see those called), gets over the tackled player, but is cleared out instantly. He then keeps going for the ball whilst lying on his side in the ruck and gets the holding on pen.

Edit - Actually looking at it again, he's penalised TJ for hands in the ruck. Which is pretty funny, as the ball would have come out of its own accord if Taylor hadn't been holding onto it illegally.

Oh well, on to next week. Huge game in the context of the season.

[Stevie J]

I sadly couldn't watch this one as I was travelling at the time but looking after the fact at a losing bonus away to Saracens I was actually pretty chuffed - fair to say that throwing away a win and then a draw would make me think differently. But a lot of us would have taken that and the improvement in performance is definitely noteworthy after the Sale horror show.

Three games in - one win, two losses, 5 points. For context with our 2 relegation seasons;

• 2017/18 - Relegated. Started off with 5 points too with the BP win over Quins at HQ but then two horror shows versus Exeter and Sale away. We wouldn't get another point until Round 6, a losing BP at home versus Tigers. Finished that season with 3 wins, 22 points. 14 points from safety.
• 2015/16 - Relegated. Started off with 6 straight defeats and nil points until beating Northampton at home on Boxing Day. Finished that season with 4 wins, 20 points. 7 points from safety.

Still early days but a win over Tigers before they get their England RWC players back would be a huge step in the right direction.

[Margin_Walker]

The Leicester game is huge

We're going to need 30+ points to survive with the league as strong as it is this year and we need to stay ahead of the rate. Lose at the weekend and there's the real possibility we'll finish the first block of GP games in last place.

If the forwards front up the way they did against Sarries, we'll be in with a good shout.

[GC89]

Agreed with all of the above. We must win against Leicester. I haven't caught up on the match yet, but will be fascinating to see what side we put out. It will be exciting to see Naholo hopefully play some part, just wish Mafi and a few of the other forward signings would hurry up and get here.

[Narbia]

That was a decent performance fellas!

Still feel we ought to have come away with 2 points though.

[GC89]

Caught up on the game and feeling much more positive. Have no idea how we lost that, but felt like the ref was keen to find a way for Sarries to take the win. If we play like this we on Sunday we have a great chance.

Selection for Leicester will be fascinating. We still haven’t seen Rona do much. I wonder if Williams to 13 and Naholo onto the wing could be an option.

[GC89]

Also, taking Hoskins off proved to be an absolute disaster! Never seen a scrum’s fortunes change so much with one sub.

[Margin_Walker]

Hoskins sub didn't pay off, but from memory he hit the deck and the scrum was reset. Up against a fresh front row, the coaches must have thought fresh legs in the scrum were required and took the opportunity to sub him. You never know what goes on in the scrum, but Cilliers didn't seem to earn his keep on that one.

Interestingly Rona's primary value at the moment has been his defence. Averaging 10+ tackles a game and is making pretty much all of them.