Rugby Union: Saracens Bow to England on Farrell's Central Role

Saracens have yielded to the wishes of the England management and will start Andy Farrell in the centre against Leicester in the Guinness Premiership fixture at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

The Rugby Football Union helped fund Farrell's code switch from Wigan last year on the basis that he would play in midfield but the Saracens' director of rugby, Alan Gaffney, who was not at the club when the signing was made, argued at the start of the season that the former Great Britain rugby league captain's best position was at blind-side flanker.

Farrell, a member of England's elite squad, has made only one start there for the Saracens first team, against London Irish in the EDF Energy Cup last month, but after a public disagreement about the 31-year-old's best position erupted between club and country last month, he has played in the centre and at outside-half in A league matches and came on in the midfield for the last 10 minutes of the league match at Gloucester last weekend.

"We had to make changes this week, with six players away on international duty, but Andy has been pushing hard for a starting place and deserves his chance," said Gaffney. There is no place, however, for the England flanker Richard Hill, who is fit again after a knee injury. He will continue his comeback for the A side against Wasps on Monday.

London Irish yesterday suspended their hooker David Paice for one week for a tackle against Bath last Saturday that has earned him a hearing before an RFU disciplinary panel on Monday.

The Exiles, who described the incident as a "careless tackle", banned Paice after an internal disciplinary meeting. It means he will be unavailable for tonight's Premiership fixture with the leaders, Gloucester, at the Madejski Stadium.

Harlequins, however, have declined to take action against their No8 Chris Hala'Ufia, who also has a disciplinary hearing to answer a charge of a dangerous tackle, having been cited after last week's match against Northampton.

Newcastle yesterday signed the former South Africa A captain and No8 Russell Winter on an 18-month contract, their third southern hemisphere recruit in as many weeks.

Argentina (v England at Twickenham tomorrow): Hernández (Stade Français); Nuñez Piossek (Bayonne), Avramovic (Worcester), Tiesi (London Irish), Gomez
Cora (Lomas Athletic); Contepomi (Leinster), Pichot (Stade Français); Ayerza (Leicester), Ledesma (Clermont Auvergne), Hasan (Toulouse), Fernandez Lobbe (Sale), Albacete (Toulouse), J Fernandez Lobbe (Sale), Leguizamon (London Irish), Longo (Clermont Auvergne). Replacements: Vernet (Alumni), Scelzo (Clermont Auvergne), Lozada (CASI), Schusterman (Leeds), Fernandez-Miranda (Hindu), Todeschini (Montpellier), Agulla (Hindu).