Follow the latest updates live from the Premiership clash between Saracens and Bristol Bears at Allianz Park.
In what has been a tumultuous season at Saracens already, the reigning Premiership champions face one of the most-improved teams this season in the shape of Pat Lam’s Bristol looking to claw back further ground on the pack following their 35-point deduction for breaching the salary cap.
But Bristol, flying high in second place, could go top of the table with a victory and will plan on causing a major upset at Allianz Park to not only continue their strong start to the season but send out a major statement of their title credentials. Follow the live updates below.
Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of today's Premiership encounter between Saracens and Bristol Bears, brought to you from pitchside at Allianz Park.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm this afternoon, and we'll bring you all the build-up to the crunch clash between the reigning champions and the title underdogs from 1:30pm.
Hello from Allianz Park where the sun is shining and thankfully the temperature is the right side of freezing, ensuring we should be in for quite a treat this afternoon.
Second place plays bottom of the table, but it's far from what we're used to in the Premiership as Saracens start the day on -18 points and 22 points off the next best side, in the form of Leicester Tigers.
The mammoth 35-point deduction for breaching the salary cap remains a sore issue here in north London, but Bristol won't care one bit as Pat Lam brings his side here determined to send out a major statement of their Premiership title intentions. The Bears sit second in the league, two points behind leaders Northampton who take on Sale at the AJ Bell Stadium this afternoon.
It's very much the story of the dominant force against the side who see themselves as a future dominant force in the battle for English rugby.
There are two big occasions among the Saracens squad today, with captain Brad Barritt set to win his 250th cap and hooker Jamie George poised for his 150th appearance.
In this age of every single milestone being celebrated to the high hills, it will be interesting to see how they will lead out the team - side-by-side, hand-in-hand, single file? - or whether they will ignore the occasion to focus on the task at hand.
Jamie George of course found himself the subject of last weekend's victory over Munster when a flare-up surrounding the Irish team's doctor.
The medic allegedly made a derogatory remark about George which caused a 30-man brawl on the sidelines - well nearly 30-man...
The one man who was having none of it was of course Mako Vunipola, who provided this magnificent moment amid all the carnage.
The teamsheets are in and it's confirmed no changes to either side, so they line-up as follows:
Saracens: Max Malins; Sean Maitland, Nick Tompkins, Brad Barritt, Elliot Daly; Owen Farrell, Ben Spencer; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Vincent Koch; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Nick Isiekwe, Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: Jack Singleton, Rhys Carre, Titi Lamositele, Will Skelton, Jackson Wray, Richard Wigglesworth, Duncan Taylor, Alex Lewington.
Bristol: Charles Piutau; Luke Morahan, Piers O;Conor, Sam Bedlow, Toby Fricker; Callum Sheedy, Andy Uren; Jake Woolmore, Harry Thacker, John Afoa; Joe Joyce, Chris Vui; Steven Luatua, Jake Heenan, Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: Will Capon, James Lay, Max Lahiff, Ed Holmes, Luke Hamilton, Harry Randall, Ioan Lloyd, Alapati Leiua.
Referee: Tom FoleyThis season it's been rather hard to predict how Saracens will line up, given their swaying interest in defending their European crown at the cost of their Premiership status.
However, it's getting much clearer that they will target their remaining Premiership games in order to retain their top-flight status, with a number of their big guns returning over the last few weeks to target what will now be a crucial run of league games.
Needless to say, Bristol's Pat Lam saw it coming: "They (Saracens) will be fully-loaded because of the situation they are in," Lam said this week. "There is no reason for them to be complacent at all, so if we manage to pull off the victory, it's going to be a huge achievement.
"This is another good barometer that we look for to see how we are going and how we're going to deal with this challenge, and that's what I'm excited by."
Saracens wrap up their warm-up first as we tick down towards kick-off, swiftly followed by a Bristol side looking far more like a unit than the rabble of Sarries individuals making their way back tot he changing room - a little insight into the mentality that Pat Lam instils into his side there.
Not long until we're underway.
Unsurprisingly there's a Christmas feel to Allianz Park today, with Father Christmas out in the middle of the pitch and the smell of mulled wine flowing through the air as the crowd warm themselves up.
It's the final match before the festivities kick in next week, although Bristol won't have long to celebrate - they're up again on Friday against Wasps.
Right now though it's all about how they shape up against a Saracens side fighting for their Premiership future. Will they be able to go toe-to-toe against the reigning champions at home? Let's hope so.
Steven Luatua leads out Bristol looking resplendent in white, closely followed by Brad Barritt an his Saracens side. No special theatrics for Jamie George, who is winning his 150th cap, and as the pitch is cleared we're ready to go.
1 mins: Saracens 0-0 Bristol Bears
KICK-OFF!
1 mins: Saracens 0-0 Bristol Bears
After a confusing start - Bristol shape to take the kick-off before referee Tom Foley decides it's Saracens who will start the game - we're underway. Farrell's kick-off should be taken by Kruis, but the lock drops it and Bristol clean up possession. Both teams are happy to test each other aerially, and Farrell is so deep he's starting the match off akin to a full-back in order to field anything from Uren and Sheedy alongside Malins.
Both Daly and Piutau make good leaping takes early, and when they both go up to contend one at the same time, Foley judges the Bristol man to have knocked on, giving Sarries a scrum on the opposition's 10m line.
4 mins: Saracens 0-0 Bristol Bears
Bristol get the decision at the scrum for an early shove from Saracens, but the quickly-taken kick is loose and doesn't find touch. Saracens attempt to get their first running play going as Bristol are caught offside, but there's no space for Earl down the right as Fricker barges him into touch. Back we come for the penalty, and Farrell finds touch on the 10m line.
7 mins: Saracens 0-0 Bristol Bears
Saracens make their first clear break. Spencer goes left to Farrell, who misses out Maitland on the wraparound and finds George. The England forward quickly offloads to Tompkins who creates the extra man and releases Daly, but his chip ahead goes into touch by the corner.
8 mins: Saracens 0-0 Bristol Bears
Saracens are getting into their stride and Spencer finds Earl on a beautiful line after Bristol cleared their lines from the five-metre lineout. Earl breaks the line, but Morahan covering on the left wing gets across and stops the flanker with a good tackle, causing him to knock-on in the process. That was possibly a try-saver there.
10 mins: Saracens 0-5 Bristol Bears
TRY FOR BRISTOL!
11 mins: Saracens 0-7 Bristol Bears
Well who saw that coming! Saracens were on the attack once again on the right-hand side in the Bristol half, but as Spencer tried to miss out Billy Vunipola to find Maitland out wide, scrum-half Uren picked him off. The nine sprinted away but had Daly for company - who is off course no slouch - but despite the wing stopping him the ball was dislodged free by Barritt into Bristol hands. The ball is thrown back to Sheedy, who sent a crossfield kick that just floats over Farrell's hands and into the waiting arms of Luke Morahan, who goes over to score.
Sheedy adds the conversion and it's 0-7.
12 mins: Saracens 0-7 Bristol Bears
Saracens nearly respond immediately, with Farrell finding Malins outside him and the full-back splitting the defence and just evading the hands of Luatua. He's eventually stopped but Spencer is on his inside shoulder, only for the scrum-half to knock-on some seven metres out.
14 mins: Saracens 5-7 Bristol Bears
TRY FOR SARACENS!
14 mins: Saracens 7-7 Bristol Bears
Saracens get the free-kick at the scrum and Billy Vunipola goes quickly, making a big dent to the left. He has his older brother Mako Vunipola for company, and with George behind him there's no stopping the loosehead prop from a couple of metres out. Farrell converts, and the scores are level again. 7-7
18 mins: Saracens 7-7 Bristol Bears
Itoje tries to get his hands onto the ball, but referee Foley judges him to be off his feet and duly awards the penalty to Bristol.
Sheedy will go for goal.
When is it?
Saracens vs Bristol takes place at Allianz Park on Saturday 21 December.
What time does it start?
The match kicks off at 3pm.
Where can I watch it?
The game will not be shown live on television in the United Kingdom, but you can follow live updates from Allianz Park with The Independent.
Teams
Saracens: Max Malins; Sean Maitland, Nick Tompkins, Brad Barritt, Elliot Daly; Owen Farrell, Ben Spencer; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Vincent Koch; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Nick Isiekwe, Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: Jack Singleton, Rhys Carre, Titi Lamositele, Will Skelton, Jackson Wray, Richard Wigglesworth, Duncan Taylor, Alex Lewington.
Bristol: Charles Piutau; Luke Morahan, Piers O;Conor, Sam Bedlow, Toby Fricker; Callum Sheedy, Andy Uren; Jake Woolmore, Harry Thacker, John Afoa; Joe Joyce, Chris Vui; Steven Luatua, Jake Heenan, Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: Will Capon, James Lay, Max Lahiff, Ed Holmes, Luke Hamilton, Harry Randall, Ioan Lloyd, Alapati Leiua.
Referee: Tom Foley
