Saracens up for sevens

Saracens will want to put last season's horrors behind them in the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham today. The Londoners spent big in the pursuit of success only to see the likes of Thomas Castaignède struck down by long-term injury.

The early signs for the present campaign are not good with Castaignède set to undergo another operation. But Tim Horan takes charge of a strong squad in a tournament which has been restricted to an all-English 16- team line-up.

Saracens should stroll into the last eight past Blackheath, with Wasps also having an easy path into the quarter-finals after being paired with the British Army.

The Tetley's Bitter Cup winners, Newcastle Falcons, field their new captain, Pat Lam, and the Samoa wing Inga Tuigamala for their opener with Bristol, while the former All Black flanker Josh Kronfeld makes his debut for London Welsh.