Two years on from being relegated from the Gallagher Premiership for salary cap breaches and 12 months after earning promotion from the Championship, Saracens are back in a Premiership Rugby semi-final as they face Harlequins this afternoon.
Sarries are hardly your normal newly-promoted club and their star-studded squad are seeking a fifth league title in eight years, with defending champions Quins standing between them and a place in next weekend’s Twickenham showpiece.
Saracens finished second in the 2021-22 regular-season table behind only Leicester Tigers, and seven points ahead of today’s third-place opponents, to earn a 12th appearance in a Premiership semi-final.
They have lost just one of their last seven league encounters to Harlequins, while their only defeat at StoneX Stadium to their London rivals came in the 2017 Anglo-Welsh Cup. That makes them big favourites to advance to Rugby HQ next Saturday, although their opponents delighted in upsetting the odds en route to a shock Gallagher Premiership title 12 months ago.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the first Premiership Rugby semi-final.
When is Saracens vs Harlequins?
The match will be played at the StoneX Stadium in north London, on Saturday 11 June at 1:30pm BST.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown on BT Sport 1, with coverage starting at 1pm. BT Sport subscribers can also stream the match live on the BT Sport website and mobile app.
What is the team news?
Saracens: Goode; Maitland, Daly, Tompkins, Malins; Farrell (capt), Davies; M Vunipola, George, Koch, Itoje, Swinson, McFarland, Earl, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Pifeleti, Mawi, Clarey, Isiekwe, Christie, Van Zyl, Lozowski, Taylor
Harlequins: Jones; Green, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Marler, Walker, Collier, Symons, Tizard, Lewies (capt), Evans, Dombrandt.
Replacements: Gray, Kerrod, Louw, Jurevicius, Lawday, Gjaltema, Allan, Northmore
Odds
Saracens win - 2/5
Draw - 25/1
Harlequins win - 13/5
Prediction
Harlequins have the attacking firepower to beat any team in the league and will be desperate to defend their title but home advantage and a ruthlessness to their play will narrowly see Saracens through to the final. Saracens 33-27 Harlequins.
