Itoje returns to captain Saracens against Bulls

European Champions Cup: Saracens v Bulls

Venue: StoneX Stadium Date: Saturday, 7 December Kick-off: 17:30 GMT

Coverage: Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app

England lock Maro Itoje returns to captain Saracens in their Investec Champions Cup opener against South African side Bulls on Saturday.

The 30-year-old is joined in the second row by Nick Isiekwe after both featured in all four of England’s Autumn Nations Series games.

The pair are two of five changes to Mark McCall’s starting XV that were part of a shock defeat by Newcastle last Friday, with England captain Jamie George and prop Marco Riccioni also returning.

The final change comes in the midfield as Argentina’s Lucio Cinti partners Wales centre Nick Tompkins.

It is a repeat of both sides’ opening European Champions Cup game last season, which Bulls won 27-16 in Pretoria, but this time it will be played at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium.

Three-time Champions Cup winners Saracens reached the final 16 last season, but were hammered by French side Bordeaux-Begles.

Itoje started all three finals that Saracens won – the last coming against Leinster in 2019.

“This competition is incredibly special and we are very excited to be starting a new campaign,” the Saracens captain said.

“Some of the best moments of my career and also in the history of this great club have been in this tournament so it is always a highlight of the season when we get going in Europe.

“We experienced first-hand last season when we went to Pretoria how physical they are so we’ll have to front up and I’m sure with the later kick-off it will be a raucous atmosphere here at StoneX.”

Having started all of England’s games during the autumn, back row Ben Earl is named on the bench, with Tom Willis starting at number eight.

New Zealander Fergus Burke continues to fly-half while England international Elliot Daly is at full-back.

Jake White has named a strong Bulls side that includes South Africa full-back Willie le Roux and prop Gerhard Steenekamp, who came on as a replacement in the Springboks’ autumn victory over England.

White’s side have only lost one game this season and sit third in the United Rugby Championship, having reached the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup last season when they sent a weakened side to Northampton.

“The Bulls are a brilliant team and we know we’ll need to be right at the top of our game to get a positive result,” Itoje said.

“They have a lot of experience in their group and with the squad they have named to head over here, it is a big challenge for us.”

Line-ups

Saracens: Daly; Elliott, Cinti Luna, Tompkins, Segun; Burke, Van Zyl; Carre, George, Riccioni, Itoje (capt), Isiekwe, McFarland, Gonzalez Samso, Willis

Replacements: Dan, Mawi, Clarey, Wilson, Earl, Simpson, Eden, Parton

Bulls: Le Roux, De Klerk, Moodie, Kriel, Williams; Goosen, Papier; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar (capt), Klopper, Vermaak, Van Heerden, Van Staden, Wiese, Hanekom

Replacements: Van der Merwe, Tshakweni, Smith, Kirsten, Coetzee, Johannes, Dyantyi, Vorster

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)