Kruis recovers in time for Bosch’s landmark game
ENGLAND lock George Kruis has recovered from an ankle injury suffered on the opening day of the season and joins a powerful Saracens pack against Sale at Allianz Park tomorrow in a match that marks the 100th appearance for Marcelo Bosch, the Argentina centre.
Kruis limped off 14 minutes into the 55-24 win over Northampton at Twickenham and has, for the second successive season, been forced to undergo rehabilitation work to get himself back to full fitness.
Eleven months ago he needed ankle surgery and in February underwent an operation on his knee but got back in time to win a place on the Lions tour to New Zealand.
It was expected Kruis would shoulder the majority of the early
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through make a first start of the season after recovering from a broken arm.
Mark McCall, the Sarries director of rugby, is acutely aware of the need to give Itoje a rest.
Kruis (below) is joined in the pack by fellow Lions Jamie GeGeorge and Mako Vunipola anand there is a second start for BilBilly Vunipola, who mmissed the summersumm
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Phave a head start in terms of the game with ArgentinArgentina but there are no guarantees.guara Denny SolSolomonomona has work to do on hishi game — and maybe oon his drinking gg aa mm e s as well.”
Sale winger SoloSolomona was thrown out of the AAugust training camp for a late-night drinkinging session with Manu
WDLFAsecond-row work after missing so much of last season, however his injury has seen Maro Itoje playy every minute of the three Premiership games and he is in action again tomorrow.
Itoje is likely to get a break in the next three games, once Will Skelton, on, the 6ft 8in Wallaby lock, is ready to o Tuilagi, who injury.
Lock Nick Isiekwe, who shone on his debut in Argentina in the summer, is one of seven Saracens players in the squad.
Nick Evans believes Smith has the mental strength to handle the pressure of being the next big thing in English rugby.
Former All Black No10 Evans, who retired as Quins’ record points scorer last season and is now coaching Smith and the club’s backs, said:A“He’s a good kid, wants to learn and is at the start of, hopefully, a great career.”
sn Philadelphia last Saturday and stayed on the pitch for the full match after Schalk Burger was injured. Jackson Wray replaces Burger tomorrow in a team captained by Owen Farrell.
Sarries fans will get a first view at Allianz Park of Liam Williams, the Lions and Wales wing. Harlequins have front-row injury problems that will need fitness tests today before naming the team to play Leicester at home tomorrow while London Irish have a tough home game with Northampton on Sunday.
(3pm unless stated)
Gloucester v Worcester (7.45, BT Sport 1). Bath v Newcastle, Harlequins v Leicester
(BT Sport 3), Saracens v Sale.
Exeter v Wasps (BT Sport 1), London Irish v Northampton.