Borthwick awaiting injury update

Borthwick needed five stitches after the incident early in Saracens' 19-16 victory and club medics took him to Moorfields Eye Hospital for closer examination of his eye-ball and eye-socket.

There were no concerns for Borthwick's sight but his right eye was closed when he left the field.

Saracens have their own video footage of the incident and head coach Mark McCall suspects Azam may have deliberately kicked out at Borthwick in a 13th-minute ruck.

"We have had a quick look at it," McCall said. "We are concerned at the way it occurred and it would appear it may have been a deliberate act of foul play. Steve is at hospital to see if there is any damage to his eye-socket.

"It is more than a cut. His eye is completely closed over and at this stage we don't know how badly damaged it is. The video footage we have seen so far would appear to be reasonably clear.

"It is something nobody wants to see. Steve was on the ground and pretty much defenceless in the position he was in."

Azam denied deliberately kicking Borthwick and said any contact was accidental. The Frenchman explained he had lashed out with his right leg because his left ankle was being twisted at the bottom of a ruck.

"I didn't know I did it. Someone twisted my ankle but I didn't know I touched him," he said. "Of course (it was accidental)."

Saracens defied the loss of Borthwick to maintain the only unbeaten record in the Guinness Premiership and move top of the table. Wasps' 100% start was ended by London Irish, who moved into second place with a 28-16 victory at the Madejski Stadium.