Jones bids to bring some style to Sarries

Saracens director of rugby Eddie Jones believes his team must radically alter their playing style to achieve their ambition of breaking into Europe's elite.

The perennial under-achievers have won only one trophy since the game went professional in 1995 despite owner Nigel Wray pumping millions into the club.

Former Wallaby coach Jones, who took over from Alan Gaffney in the summer, saw how much work still needs doing as Sarries lost their first game of the season to Harlequins.

They travel to Sale tonight to take on Philippe Saint-Andre's side, with Jones urging Saracens to start playing with freedom.

"I want the supporters to be proud of the team every time it goes out on the field," Jones said. "We have to be a side that plays a very distinctive, attractive and winning style of game.

"For us to grow as a club we have to raise our average attendance at Vicarage Road from around 9,000 to around 14,000. To do that we have to bring something special to the plate.

"We can't just play a humdrum style. We need to play an attractive style that stops people wanting to stay at home watching a Premiership football match on television and come and watch us instead."

Jones welcomes back Richard Haughton at full-back and keeps faith with former All Blacks second row Chris Jack at blindside flanker.

Haughton was one of the Premiership's stand-out players last season and considered desperately unlucky by many to miss out on a place in both England's Elite and Saxons squads.

Jones said: "Richard had a very good season last year and proved himself to be one of the top performers in the competition and we're looking for him to continue that this season."