Saracens vs Newcastle Falcons Prediction: Sarries ready to storm past Falcons

Saracens start round 16 of the Premiership sixth in the table but just four points behind third-placed Sale and they can do their play-off hopes the world of good with a big win over Newcastle on Saturday.

Read on for my Saracens vs Newcastle Falcons prediction, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Things could be coming together at the right time for Sarries. After facing the Falcons, they will meet Northampton, who may have an eye on the Champions Cup final, and then finish the regular season at home to Bath, who will be playing a week after their Challenge Cup final and might rest players with a view to the play-offs.

Newcastle's two wins this season have both come at home and they have lost seven out of seven on the road.

Among those victories was November's 17-12 success over Saracens under the lights at Kingston Park, but they are unlikely to put up as much resistance on Saturday.

There is a bit of off-field bad blood between the clubs due to the payment structure of recent transfers between the teams but, while that may have to be settled elsewhere, there is only likely to be one winner on the field.

Team News

Saracens have named Alex Goode at full-back and he will become the first player in the English professional era to reach 400 appearances for a single club.

His inclusion is one of six changes from the 25-7 defeat to Sale in a side led by new British & Irish Lions captain, Maro Itoje,

Newcastle have made three alterations from the team that lost their last game against Bath, including a return for Sammy Arnold in the centres.

Former Saracens full-back Elliott Obatoyinbo returns after a head knock and Murray McCallum comes in at tighthead prop following Richard Palframan's season-ending hamstring injury.

Saracens vs Newcastle Falcons Odds

Saracens are the 1/500 favourites, with Newcastle 18/1 to cause an upset and the draw 25/1.

The handicap three-way mark is set at 30 points, with Newcastle available at 10/11 when given that 30-point start.

Saracens -34 @ 11/8

It has been a transitional season for Saracens following the departure of Owen Farrell and others last summer, and their form has inevitably fluctuated.

They beat Gloucester 36-14 in their last home game before losing at Sale but Mark McCall will have spent the recent fortnight off assessing his options and few coaches are as good at getting their teams playing their best rugby right when it's needed.

Newcastle have had another challenging year, losing 13 of their 15 league matches. Meanwhile, financial issues at the club mean Steve Diamond has had to deal with mid-season exits, and number eight Callum Chick is the latest academy product set for a summer exit, with the skipper signing a deal with Northampton.

Diamond had two years in charge at Saracens, arguably putting the building blocks in place before they became a European powerhouse.

The 56-year-old has continued to do solid jobs wherever he has gone and has fought the Falcons' corner over the money owed to them for transfer deals.

To demonstrate his abrasive nature, he is currently serving a touchline ban for verbally abusing matchday officials after last month's defeat at Exeter.

His mood is unlikely to improve on Saturday and Saracens should be able to tally up plenty of points.

They beat Newcastle 37-19 at home last season but more is expected here, and the hosts are worth backing for at least a 34-point success.

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