Danaher has played for England at Under-21 and Saxons level

London Irish flanker Declan Danaher says he is looking forward to his return from injury in this weekend's London double-header.

The forward was ruled out for most of last season after rupturing his knee ligament last October but is relishing facing Saracens on Saturday.

He told BBC Berkshire: "I feel really good, I've played in all three pre-season games and the knee's been fine.

"I'm just looking towards Sarries now and want to help make a difference."

Danaher, who played under current Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter when he was coaching at London Irish, is wary of the threat posed by the South African's side this weekend.

"They are going to be strong, they've got a massive squad compared to some of the other teams," he said.

"With Brendan, he has brought two brands of rugby to Saracens - the kicking South African style and the free-flowing style - so they will definitely be tough opponents to face."

But Danaher believes after a hard pre-season the Exiles are more than capable of matching Saracens.

"It's been a tough pre-season, no stone has been left unturned whether it's fitness-wise or contact-wise," he added.

"So, I think we're fully prepared for the new season and we're ready for the challenge of Saracens this weekend."

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