Exeter first visitors to Saracens' home

Saracens have announced that the first game at their new home ground in Barnet next season will be an Aviva Premiership clash against Exeter on February 16.

The Hertfordshire club plan five fixtures at their existing Vicarage Road base in Watford, one at Twickenham, one at Wembley Stadium - Leicester's visit on September 15 - one against Northampton at stadiummk in Milton Keynes and one Heineken Cup encounter at a so far undisclosed central London venue during December.

Saracens have also specifically excluded two games from their 14-match season ticket, which they say will be played "further afield" and announced shortly.

They had hoped to stage a Heineken Cup fixture against Biarritz in South Africa last January.

The 55,000 all-seater Cape Town Stadium was earmarked for the game, but plans were scuppered after the Western Province Rugby Union ruled that any such fixture would have to take place at its traditional rugby home, Newlands.

"The players and coaches are really excited about an innovative match schedule," Saracens rugby director Mark McCall said.

"It includes a number of spectacular and unique events on our way to Barnet, where everybody is looking forward to settling into our new home ground."

The Barnet move will see Saracens revamp the town's Copthall Stadium, with facilities set to include an all-weather pitch suitable for local schools to use, while athletics will also take place there.