Saracens vs Newcastle Falcons Prediction: Bruising defeat heading Newcastle’s way

After suffering three defeats in their last four games across all competitions, Saracens will be looking for a resounding victory when they host rock-bottom Newcastle Falcons on Saturday.

Sarries have lost to Northampton and Sale in their last two Premiership outings, results which have seen them slip to fifth in the table, but a visit of winless Newcastle provides a perfect opportunity for Mark McCall’s side to return to winning ways.

The Falcons have lost all nine of their league fixtures to sit bottom of the standings on four points, 10 points behind ninth-placed Gloucester, and it could be another disappointing afternoon for the north-east outfit.

Team News

Saracens have made seven changes from the defeat to Sale, with Mako Vunipola taking the captain’s armband and he is joined in the front row by Theo Dan and Christian Judge.

Theo McFarland and Hugh Tizard line up in the second row, while the back-row is made up of Juan Martin Gonzalez, Toby Knight and Andy Christie.

Manu Vunipola and Ivan van Zyl start at 10 and nine respectively, Olly Hartley and Elliot Daly line up in the centres, Lucio Cinti and Rotmi Segun are on the wings, and Alex Goode takes the full-back position.

For the Falcons, Argentina centres Matias Orlando and Matias Moroni return for the Falcons, although compatriot Mateo Carreras is missing after sustaining a dead leg last time out.

Prop Eduardo Bello is back to face his former club, while the half-back pairing has been freshened up with Rory Jennings and Hugh O’Sullivan looking to impress.

Kiran McDonald replaces the injured John Hawkins in the second row and Pedro Rubiolo comes in for Sam Cross at blind-side flanker.

Match Odds

Saracens are the massive 1/250 favourites to chalk up their sixth Premiership win of the campaign, with the tie priced at 28/1 and Newcastle at 16/1 to record their first victory of the season.

In the Handicap 3-Way market, Sarries are 10/11 at -27. The tie is 18/1 at -27 and the Falcons are 10/11 at +27.

Saracens -27 Handicap 3-Way @ 10/11

It has been a mixed season so far for Saracens, who find themselves in fifth place and six points behind league leaders Bath after losing 22-20 at Sale last time out.

After two Champions Cup games, the Sarries have one win and a defeat to their name to sit fourth in Pool A, with a 27-16 loss to the Bulls followed up by a 55-36 victory over Connacht.

Two losses in a row in the league have stunted Saracens’ title charge, but both of those were by narrow margins and they should have more than enough to overcome a dismal Newcastle side.

The Falcons are on an 11-game losing streak across all competitions, losing both Challenge Cup games and all nine Premiership fixtures.

Newcastle have scored the lowest amount of points (130) and conceded the most (286), leaving them bottom of the table, while they were thumped 50-12 at home by Saracens in November.

That Saracens side which triumphed at Kingston Park didn’t even include all of their international stars, as several players were given a break following the World Cup in France, so the omens don’t look good given McCall’s men are almost at full strength.

The Falcons’ better performances this season have come on home soil and a trip to StoneX Stadium is the last thing they need, given the fact they have failed to win any of their last six away matches.

Five of the last six meetings between these two have seen Saracens score more than 22 points, and with Newcastle conceding 256 points across their last six away games in all competitions, backing Sarries at -27 on the Handicap at 10/11 looks like the best play.

Rugby Union Betting tips, from Betfred Insights.