Saracens loosehead Richard Barrington is set to make his 200th appearance for the club on Sunday, when the Men In Black face Richmond in the Greene King IPA Championship. 

Barrington made his Sarries debut in September 2013 and continues to be a mainstay in the team as he approaches his double century, where he will join teammates Jackson Wray, Owen Farrell and Jamie George in reaching that milestone. 

Barrington will be joined up front by England international George for the clash at The Athletic Ground, as director of rugby Mark McCall makes three changes from the side that beat Jersey Reds 45-13 in Round 2. 

The hooker is just one of a number of international players on Sarries’ books following relegation from the Gallagher Premiership last year - including the likes of Farrell, Billy Vunipola, Maro Itoje, and Elliot Daly - and McCall is adamant that a number of his stars will be ready for action throughout the season ahead of the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa later in the year. 

“They’re going to be playing their rugby at our club, playing in games that have some meaning to them,” McCall said.

“If any of them – and we expect a lot of them – get selected to go on the Lions tour they’re going to be rugby-ready by the end of it.

“You'll see a few playing this weekend, and everybody playing from then on.”

Sunday’s match has come too soon for Farrell and Billy Vunipola, with both being ruled out due to head injuries sustained in England’s 32-18 defeat to Ireland in the Guinness Six Nations last time out, meaning Manu Vunipola will be calling the shots from fly-half for Sarries this weekend, lining up alongside scrum-half Aled Davies.

Will Hooley will be making his first Championship start after replacing Elliott Obatoyinbo at full-back, while Dom Morris will also be making his full debut in place of Juan Pablo Socino in the midfield. 

Ralph Adams-Hale makes his return to competitive action on the bench, while Alec Clarey also returns to the matchday squad alongside Sean Maitland, with the Scotland international involved for the first time since Round 1. 

That opening round ended in 25-17 defeat to Cornish Pirates, leaving Sarries playing catch-up from the start of the season and currently sitting ten points behind leaders Ealing Trailfinders ahead of the weekend’s action. 

And with a truncated season meaning each team plays just ten matches this year, McCall knows his side have to up their game if they are to return to rugby’s top tier at the first time of asking. 

“We're in a very short competition. We lost our first game to Cornish Pirates and don't have a lot of margin for error now,” McCall said. 

“The international players have been brilliant, they want to come back, roll their sleeves up and be part of it with their team-mates.”