Saracens named their side for Saracens Vs Gloucester in PREM Round 16 on Saturday, making two changes after last week’s win at Bristol and setting out to chase four consecutive victories for the first time in this Gallagher PREM season.

Charlie Bracken starts at scrum-half alongside Fergus Burke at fly-half, with Rhys Carre, Jamie George and Marcus Street in the front row. Maro Itoje is paired with Nick Isiekwe in the second row, while Theo McFarland returns at six, Ben Earl starts at openside and Tom Willis completes the pack after his Player of the Match display at Ashton Gate. Olly Hartley and Nick Tompkins are together in midfield, Rotimi Segun is on the left wing, Noah Caluori is on the right and Max Malins starts at full back.

The changes are small, but the stakes are not. Saracens are in the middle of a push for play-off places, and Bracken said the squad has been treating every game as a mini cup final because of what is on the line. He said the side arrives with strong momentum after three very different wins, but expects Gloucester to come with confidence of their own. He also said the club is hoping a strong home crowd in North London can help carry them over the line and keep them in the fight for the top four.

There is a deeper layer to the squad as well. Saracens said 13 members of the matchday group have come through the club’s academy pathway, underlining how much of the team has been built from within. The club also said six players will graduate into the Senior Academy ahead of the 2026/27 season, with hooker Tiane Elone joining on a full-time basis.

At the same time, this is a team preparing for one familiar face to leave. Saracens said Ivan Van Zyl will depart at the end of the 2025/26 campaign and return to South Africa after more than 100 appearances for the club. His exit adds another layer to a season that is already being measured in margins, and Saturday’s match offers Saracens another chance to keep that pressure on the teams around them.

Tobias Elliott, who kept his place on the bench, is part of that recent surge in confidence after scoring the decisive interception try against Bristol seven days ago. Alec Clarey also retained his spot among the replacements as Saracens looked to carry that result into a home fixture that could shape the rest of their run-in.