The Exile Factor

As the perfect curtain-raiser, Saracens will be looking to make it three from three against a London Irish side who have always been competitive against Saracens in recent seasons, and recorded a surprise win in NW4 in 2014

Saracens have struggled with Irish's kicking game in some of the recent matches, so a strong defensive and positional performance will be essential. The hosts' two opening games have provided an interesting contrast, with free-flowing attack and a huge win against Sale followed by a narrow win at an improved Gloucester side, which really had to be ground out, but neatly demonstrating the adaptability of Sarries' game which has come to the fore so often of late. As has already been pointed out extensively on the messageboard, the home side face a conundrum of when to bring back the international contingent, although Schalk Brits and Marcelo Bosch will probably be held back until the opening European match with Toulouse. 

The priority is to maintain strength in the forwards, as Exeter's large victory was built on this. So, a front row of Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Petrus du Plessis, and a lock combination of George Kruis and Alistair Hargreaves, completed by a back row of Kelly Brown, Will Fraser and Jackson Wray. Into the backs, and Alex Goode should continue at full back, with Nick Tompkins teaming up with Chris Wyles in the centre, and Chris Ashton with Mike Ellery on the wings, if the latter is available. Ben Spencer could be given a start at scrum half alongside Owen Farrell.

Even before this weekend's announcement that the home match with Saracens will take place in New Jersey, Irish seemed to be at something of a crossroads. The green hordes who watched Ireland's matches at Wembley and Stratford in RWC2015 underlined the potential for a massive growth of support, if Irish could reconnect with the London community, and perhaps a match at the Olympic Stadium would have made more sense than the trip Stateside in terms of building lasting increases in attendances. However, with the club committed to playing at Reading, despite modest gates, this seems off the agenda, and, at least demonstrates loyalty to the Berkshire support base in a decisive contrast to the Wasps approach, and the annual St Patrick's Day Party is one of the successful "brands" of the Premiership alongside Saracens at Wembley and Harlequins' Big Game, the challenge for all three clubs being how to attract the "one game" supporters back more regularly. 

On the pitch, it seems a long time ago that Irish looked to be Premiership winners in waiting, reaching the Heineken Cup Semi-Final in 2008, meeting Leicester in the Premiership final a year later, and beating reigning champions Leinster in Dublin in the first Heineken Cup match of 2009. Whilst it's not the only reason, the Reading club appear to have suffered more than most in losing players to more well-funded rivals, with players of the calibre of Steffon and Delon Armitage and Jonathan Joseph amongst those leaving. Not only that, but they lost a coaching team to Bath as well. That said, the academy has grown in importance and stature, and continues to be a valuable source of quality players, with no less than four players gravitating to the first time squad this time around, benefitting too from the club's new training ground. 

In recent campaigns, London Irish have tended to sign at least one Irish qualified player, and this time around, it is Sarries' lock Eoin Sheriff, who made 20 appearances for the club since 2011, as well as being loaned to Bedford. New coach Tom Coventry has made a cosmopolitan selection of signings, headed by All Black prop Ben Franks from Hurricanes, Rotherham Titans' Tom Cruse offers a new option at hooker, whilst Matt Symons comes into the second row from Waikoto Chiefs. Harlequins' Joe Trayfoot, Scarlets' Welsh international Rob McCusker and Bath loanee Dave Sisi have been added to the back row, In the backs, Sean Maitland arrives from Pro12 League winners Glasgow Warriors, scrum half Brendan McKibbin joins from Waratahs, whilst Dominic Waldouck adds considerable Premiership experience after his move from Northampton Saints, and Fijian wing Asaeli Tikoirotuma is another arrival from the Stoop. 

Departures from the club included former Saracens wing James Short, who returned to haunt the Exiles by scoring against them in Exeter's comprehensive 38-11 win last Saturday, whilst former Irish international scrum half Tomas O'Leary returned to Munster and lock Kieran Low returned to Scotland with Glasgow Warriors. Centre Eamonn Sheridan made the switch to Sarries' European Cup opponents Oyonnax, Irish prop Jamie Hagan switched to Melbourne Rebels and hooker Michael Mayhew returned to New Zealand, with Dan Leo and Guy Armitage also leaving the club. 

After a pre-season which saw a loss to Munster in Cork, and two defeats to Harlequins, the Premiership opened with a 28-16 home loss to Leicester Tigers, in which the hosts paid for their failure to take their chances, but were competitive up front, in contrast to the heavy loss which followed at Exeter. There may be some adjustments to that line up for the trip to Allianz Park, and a possible starting XV would have Topsy Ojo at full back, with Alex Lewington and Sean Maitland on the wings, and a centre partnership of Tom Fowlie and Eoin Griffin. Shane Geraghty could come in at fly half alongside scrum half Scott Steele. Forwards-wise, the front row could consist of Tom Smallbone, David Paice and Leo Halavatau, with a second row of George Skivington and Symons, completed by a back row of Jebb Sinclair, Rob McCusker and Blair Cowan.