Investec Champions Cup: Saracens' Owen Farrell out of Bordeaux tie with hamstring injury

Captain Owen Farrell will miss Saracens' Investec Champions Cup last-16 tie away at Bordeaux Begles because of a minor hamstring injury.

The fly-half, who will leave Saracens for Racing 92 at the end of the season, is replaced by Alex Goode.

The 32-year-old suffered the injury during their defeat by Northampton last Friday and will miss a "few weeks".

England captain Jamie George takes over as skipper, with lock Maro Itoje back to start following the Six Nations.

Saracens suffered a club record European defeat by Bordeaux during the pool stages, conceding nine tries in a 55-15 thrashing.

The three-time European Cup winners won two of their four pool games, with Bordeaux topping Pool 1.

"Once it gets to knockout rugby there is a different feel in the camp," Saracens number eight Tom Willis, who is named on the bench, told BBC Sport.

"Bordeaux have a very strong squad. They have recruited well this season and they will punish you off turnover, which happened last time.

"So it's just tightening things up, being more direct and going at them - it's a good opportunity for us and we have players that have done well in Europe before."

The back row contains Theo McFarland, Ben Earl and Billy Vunipola, with an unchanged in-form back-three of Alex Lewington, Sean Maitland and Elliot Daly.

Bordeaux name a strong side which contains France wingers Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and newly capped centre Nicolas Depoortere.

However, after a superb performance in the pool match between the sides, Matthieu Jalibert's injury against Italy in the Six Nations means Mateo Garcia continues at fly-half.

The winners will face Harlequins or Glasgow Warriors in the quarter-finals.

Line-ups

Bordeaux: Buros; Penaud, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Garcia, Lucu (capt); Poirot, Lamothe, Tameifuna, Cazeaux, Coleman, Miquel, Samu, Tatafu.

Replacements: Latterrade, Kaulashvili, Sadie, Douglas, Jolmes, Petti, Lesgourgues, Uberti.

Saracens: Daly; Maitland, Cinti, Tompkins, Lewington; Goode, Van Zyl; M Vunipola, George (capt), Judge, Itoje, Tizard, McFarland, Earl, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Dan, Mawi, Riccioni, Gonzalez, Willis, Simpson, M Vunipola, Hartley.

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)