Sale v Saracens: Teams

Saracens welcome back England trio Charlie Hodgson, Matt Stevens and Brad Barritt into their starting XV for Friday night's Aviva Premiership fixture with Sale at Edgeley Park.

Hodgson returns to his old stomping ground following his recent RBS Six Nations exploits with England, while fellow international Mouritz Botha settles for a place on the bench.

England backs Owen Farrell and David Strettle have been given a rest week and will not travel to the North West as Sarries aim to move level on points with Aviva Premiership leaders Harlequins.

Also named on the bench is prop Mako Vunipola, who is set for his first appearance since fracturing his foot back in November.

Balance

Sale head coach Tony Hanks has made three changes from the side which lost at Exeter three weeks ago.

Luther Burrell, Tony Buckley and Mark Easter have all come into the starting XV for Friday's clash, with Johnny Leota, Vadim Cobilas and Richie Vernon all dropping to the bench.

Prop Alasdair Dickinson, who missed all of Scotland's Six Nations campaign, returns from injury to make the bench, as does second row Tom Holmes, who featured in the Sharks' first eight games of the season.

Holmes was injured in an Aviva 'A' League match against Leeds Carnegie on November 7 but successfully returned to action last week when the club's second string beat Rygbi Gogledd Cymru .

Speaking ahead of the match, Hanks said: "After a three-week break, the boys are really keen to get back into match action. Unfortunately, the Exeter game put a dampener on what had been a good February.

"We have to find the balance between not repeating what happened at Sandy Park and building on the good things we were doing beforehand. We've done enough training - we're ready to play!"

Sale: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Tom Brady, 13 Luther Burrell, 12 Sam Tuitupou (c), 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Nick Macleod, 9 Dwayne Peel; 1 Andrew Sheridan, 2 Marc Jones, 3 Tony Buckley, 4 Kearnan Myall, 5 James Gaskell, 6 Mark Easter, 7 David Seymour, 8 Andy Powell.
Replacements: 16 Joe Ward, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Vadim Cobilas, 19 Tom Holmes, 20 Richie Vernon, 21 Cillian Willis, 22 Johnny Leota, 23 Will Addison.

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Duncan Taylor, 13 Chris Wyles, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 1 John Smit, 2 Schalk Brits, 3 Matt Stevens, 4 Steve Borthwick (c), 5 George Kruis, 6 Justin Melck, 7 Will Fraser, 8 Ernst Joubert.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Carlos Nieto, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Adam Powell, 23 Michael Tagicakibau.