Leinster vs Saracens LIVE
European Champions Cup Final 2019
Venue: St James' Park, Newcastle
Kick-off time: 5:00pm BST, today
Saracens will attempt to win their third European title in four seasons when they battle holders Leinster in Newcastle on Saturday evening.
The defending English Premiership champions claimed a 100% record in Pool 3 and thrashed Glasgow Warriors in the quarter-finals before clinching their spot at St James' Park with a 32-16 last-four win over Munster in Coventry.
Mark McCall's side will now seek to topple a formidable, record-chasing Leinster outfit that currently sit top of Pro14 Conference B and are going in search of an unprecedented fifth European crown.
The Dubliners have lost just one of 17 matches in the competition since the start of last season and gained revenge for their solitary defeat to Toulouse by beating their fellow four-time winners last month 30-12 in the familiar surrounds of the Aviva Stadium.
Leinster, victorious over Racing 92 at this stage last term, had previously topped a pool also containing Bath and Wasps before a titanic clash with Ulster that will be best remembered for Jacob Stockdale's costly botched try.
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Leinster vs Saracens team news and confirmed line-ups
Leinster - captained by 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year Johnny Sexton - are unchanged from their semi-final win over Toulouse, with prop Tadhg Furlong set to make his 100th appearance for the club.
Hooker Sean Cronin has been given the green light to start after a calf injury, while flanker Sean O'Brien will play in his last European match before a summer switch to London Irish.
On the bench, Ed Byrne and Caelan Doris are replaced by Jack McGrath and Rhys Ruddock.
Leinster XV: 15. Rob Kearney; 14. Jordan Larmour, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. James Lowe; 10. Johnny Sexton (c), 9. Luke McGrath; 1. Cian Healy, 2. Sean Cronin, 3. Tadhg Furlong; 4. Devin Toner, 5. James Ryan; 6. Scott Fardy, 7. Sean O'Brien, 8. Jack Conan
Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Michael Bent, Rhys Ruddock, Max Deegan, Hugh O’Sullivan, Ross Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin
Saracens will be boosted by the return of England's Mako Vunipola, who starts at loose-head prop after an ankle issue.
Captain Brad Barritt is also fit, as are wings Liam Williams and Sean Maitland.
Will Skelton partners George Kruis in the second row, while Maro Itoje starts at blindside flanker with Michael Rhodes sidelined through back trouble.
Saracens XV: 15. Alex Goode; 14. Liam Williams, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Brad Barritt (c), 11. Sean Maitland; 10. Owen Farrell, 9. Ben Spencer; 1. Mako Vunipola, 2. Jamie George, 3. Titi Lamositele; 4. Will Skelton, 5. George Kruis; 6. Maro Itoje, 7. Jackson Wray, 8. Billy Vunipola
Replacements: Joe Gray, Richard Barrington, Vincent Koch, Nick Isiekwe, Schalk Burger, Richard Wigglesworth, Nick Tompkins, David Strettle
TV channel and live stream, and online coverage
The final will be televised live on BT Sport 2 and BT Sport 4K UHD, with coverage starting at 4:00pm BST.
BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.
Channel 4 will also be showing the match live, with their programme beginning at the slightly later time of 4:30pm BST.
Score prediction: Leinster 28-24 Saracens
No team has averaged more tries per match than Leinster and Saracens during this season's Champions Cup, a stat that promises a high-scoring affair between two of the continent's best and most consistent sides.
