Newcastle Red Bulls vs Exeter Chiefs

Kickoff: 7:45pm, Friday 27th March

Venue: Kingston Park

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

Round 12 of the Gallagher Prem will kickoff on Friday night when the Exeter Chiefs make the longest journey of their Prem season to visit Newcastle. Newcastle still only have one win this season, but only lost to Northampton by a point and are becoming increasingly competitive. They are also much stronger at home so this Chiefs team that is missing some key players will have to be at their best. The Chiefs are currently in the playoff places but a visit to Kingston park will be a serious challenge.

Newcastle Red Bulls have a very similar team to the one that nearly beat Northampton last weekend, making only two changes. At lock, Oscar Usher returns and Freddie Clarke drops to the bench. In midfield, Rhys Beeckmans replaces Arnold who was injured last weekend. On the bench, Ben Healy could be in line for his Red Bulls debut having joined on loan from Edinburgh until the end of the season.

Rob Baxter has made a few changes to the team that beat Sale. In the front row, Tchumbadze drops to the bench whilst Jimmy Roots starts in his place. Dafydd Jenkins is out of the side with Rusi Tuima, who has just been announced as Sale's newest signing for next season, starts next to Andrea Zambonin. The only other change is Nick Lilley replacing Henry Slade at outside centre. The final change comes on the bench where Will Goodrick-Clarke is replaced by Ethan Burger. This will be a tricky game for the Chiefs, and I think it might be time for Newcastle to claim another big scalp.

Team news

Newcastle Red Bulls

Starting XV

1.Adam Brocklebank 2.George McGuigan(C) 3.Richard Palframan 4.Oscar Usher 5.Adam Scott

6.Reuben Parsons 7.Tom Christie 8.Ollie Leatherbarrow 9.Simon Benitez Cruz 10.Brett Connon

11.Harrison Obatoyinbo 12.Rhys Beeckmans 13.Alex Hearle 14.Christian Wade 15.Elliott Obatoyinbo

Bench

16.Ollie Fletcher 17.Connor Hancock 18.Murray McCallum 19.Freddie Clarke

20.Tom Gordon 21.James Elliott 22.Ben Healy 23.Oli Spencer

Exeter Chiefs

Starting XV

1.Scott Sio 2.Jack Yeandle 3.Jimmy Roots 4.Rusi Tuima 5.Andrea Zambonin

6.Tom Hooper 7.Ross Vintcent 8.Greg Fisilau 9.Stephen Varney 10.Harvey Skinner

11.Campbell Ridl 12.Will Rigg 13.Nick Lilley 14.Paul Brown-Bampoe 15.Olly Woodburn

Bench

16.Julian Heaven 17.Ethan Burger 18.Bachuki Tchumbadze 19.Lewis Pearson

20.Finn Worley-Brady 21.Tom Cairns 22.Will Haydon-Wood 23.Dan John

Gloucester vs Leicester Tigers

Kickoff: 1pm, Saturday 28th March

Venue: Villa Park

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

Gloucester managed to earn a rare win last weekend by beating fellow strugglers, Harlequins, in a very tight fixture. Leicester, meanwhile, are in the playoff places after beating fellow contenders, Bristol, at Welford Road. Leicester have, once again, opted to not rest their internationals and so represent a tough test for an improving Gloucester team. This game will take place at Villa Park, making it the biggest edition of the Slater Cup so far. 

George Skivington has decided to reward his players who were successful last weekend by making only 2 changes to his starting XV. Deian Gwynne comes into the back row, shifting Clement to no.8 and demoting Trenholm to the bench. The only change among the backs is Tomos Williams being out and replaced by Caolan Englefield at scrum-half. Ben Redshaw is a very talented young fullback, who captained England's age group teams with great success, but has struggled with injuries thus far in his professional career. He is now healthy, and impressed last weekend, so a game against Freddie Steward will be a great test of exactly where he is in his development. 

Geoff Parling has made just one change to his starting team from last weekend with Jack van Poortvliet replacing Tom Whiteley. This is a strong Tigers team that is well-placed for the rest of this season. One potential area of concern will be the midfield. Orlando Bailey is not a natural centre and Gloucester's duo of Atkinson and Llewllyn is very strong. If Gloucester can overpower Leicester in that area of the pitch, it could be a very difficult day at the office for the Tigers. I have a feeling that we might be about to see a Gloucester win at Villa Park.

Team news

Gloucester

Starting XV

1.Val Rapava Ruskin 2.Jack Innard 3.Afo Fasogbon 4.Arthur Clark 5.Matias Alemanno

6.Deian Gwynne 7.Lewis Ludlow 8.Jack Clement 9.Caolan Englefield 10.Charlie Atkinson

11.Ollie Thorley 12.Seb Atkinson(C) 13.Max Llewellyn 14.Will Joseph 15.Ben Redshaw

Bench

16.Seb Blake 17.Dian Bleuler 18.Ciaran Knight 19.Freddie Thomas

20.Will Trenholm 21.Rhys Price 22.George Barton 23.Josiah Edwards-Giraud

Leicester Tigers

Starting XV
1.Nicky Smith 2.Jamie Blamire 3.Joe Heyes 4.Hanro Liebenberg 5.Ollie Chessum

6.Joaquin Moro 7.Hamish Watson 8.Olly Cracknell 9.Jack van Poortvliet 10.Billy Searle

11.Ollie Hassell-Collins 12.Orlando Bailey 13.Will Wand 14.Gabriel Hamer-Webb 15.Freddie Steward

Bench

16.Finn Theobold-Thomas 17.Archie van der Flier 18.Will Hurd 19.Harry Wells

20.Harry Palmer 21.Tom Whiteley 22.James O'Connor 23.Adam Radwan

Bristol Bears vs Harlequins

Kickoff: 3:30pm, Saturday 28th March

Venue: The Principality Stadium

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

The Bristol Bears will host a game in Wales once again and this time Harlequins are the visitors. The Bears are in a decent position to make the playoffs, sitting 5th after a defeat to Leicester. Harlequins, on the other hand, are in a dismal position and seemingly in a downward spiral. They sit 9th and lost to Gloucester at home last weekend. The announcement of Jason Gilmore, a man who is already at the club, as the new head from next season was an underwhelming end to a coaching search that was rumoured to include the likes of Warren Gatland and Scott Robertson.

Pat Lam has made a few changes from last week. Ellis Genge is back and moves Jake Woolmore back to the bench whilst Santiago Grondona replaces Mata in the only other change in the pack. Elsewhere, Tom Jordan and Louis Rees-Zammit return to replace Worlsey and Heward. Bernhard Janse van Rensburg and Gabriel Ibitoye will start the game on the bench, presumably with the idea that they will be able to cause havoc against a tired Harlequins defence in the second half. 

Harlequins are missing several keuy players for this game. Joe Jones is in at tighthead prop instead of Harry Williams whilst Elliot Williams comes into the second row and Guido Petti moves to blindside flanker. At scrum-half, Stu Townsend starts next to Jarrod Evans with Marcus Smith absent. There are some surprising selections in the backs with Cadan Murley starting at outside centre and Jamie Benson lining up at fullback. The bench is very inexperienced and this team looks very unconvincing. Harlequins could absolutely finish bottom of the table this season and I don't think Saturday's result will do anything to help. I expect Bristol to win comfortably.

Team news

Bristol Bears

Starting XV
1.Ellis Genge 2.Gabriel Oghre 3.George Kloska 4.James Dun 5.Joe Owen

6.Steven Luatua 7.Fitz Harding(C) 8.Santiago Grondona 9.Harry Randall 10.Tom Jordan

11.Aidan Boshoff 12.James Williams 13.Matias Moroni 14.Kalaveti Ravouvou 15.Louis Reez-Zammit

Bench

16.Tomas Gwilliam 17.Jake Woolmore 18.Lovejoy Chawatama 19.George Taylor

20.Benjamin Grondona 21.Kieran Marmion 22.Bernhard Janse van Rensburg 23.Gabriel Ibitoye

Harlequins

Starting XV
1.Simon Kerrod 2.Jack Walker 3.Joe Jones 4.Kieran Treadwell 5.Elliot Williams

6.Guido Petti Pagadizabal 7.Jack Kenningham 8.Alex Dombrandt(C) 9.Stu Townsend 10.Jarrod Evans

11.Nick David 12.Bryn Bradley 13.Cadan murley 14.Rodrigo Isgro 15.Jamie Benson

Bench

16.Sam Riley 17.Will Hobson 18.Pedro Delgado 19.Jonny Green

20.Zach Carr 21.Seb Driscoll 22.Jack Grant 23.Sean Kerr

Saracens vs Northampton Saints

Kickoff: 6pm, Saturday 28th March

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

Saracens will still be licking their wounds after their humiliation at the hands of Bath last Friday night. Unfortunately for the Londoners, things won't be any easier at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Northampton narrowly scraped past Newcastle last week, but look much stronger for this fixture.

Mark McCall has bolstered his pack with the additions of Rhys Carre and Maro Itoje to the starting line-up whilst Jamie George is back on the bench. There is only one change in the backs where Charlie Bracken starts and Ivan van Zyl drops to the bench. This is a big game for Saracens and one they must win if they are to maintain relevance at the end of the season.

Phil Dowson just about got away with resting his stars last weekend and is going all (available) guns blazing for this one. Trevor Davison is back on the bench whilst Kemeny and Pollock return to the back row. Fin Smith is back at fly-half with Tommy Freeman returning on the wing. Fraser Dingwall, JJ van der Mescht and Danilo Fischetti are also all back on the bench for this one, giving Northampton some serious depth for the final 20 minutes,

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been the venue of many heavy home defeats in recent times and, if Saracens aren't careful, another one will be added to the list this Saturday. I expect Saracens to come out swinging with a point to prove but Northampton should just have too much in the end and will make their depth count in the second half.

Team news

Saracens

Starting XV
1.Rhys Carre 2.Theo Dan 3.Marcus Street 4.Maro Itoje(C) 5.Hugh Tizard

6.Theo McFarland 7.Andy Onyeama-Christie 8.Tom Willis 9.Charlie Bracken 10.Owen Farrell

11.Rotimi Segun 12.Nick Tompkins 13.Lucio Cinti 14.Tobias Elliott 15.Elliot Daly

Bench

16.Jamie George 17.Eroni Mawi 18.Marco Riccioni 19.Nick Isiekwe

20.Nathan Michelow 21.Ivan van Zyl 22.Fergus Burke 23.Max Malins

Northampton Saints 

Starting XV

1.Emmanuel Iyogun 2.Curtis Langdon 3.Luke Green 4.Tom Lockett 5.Ed Prowse

6.Josh Kemeny 7.Tom Pearson 8.Henry Pollock 9.Archie McParland 10.Fin Smith

11.James Ramm 12.Rory Hutchinson 13.Tom Litchfield 14.Tommy Freeman 15.George Furbank(C)

Bench

16.Craig Wright 17.Danilo Fischetti 18.Trevor Davison 19.JJ van der Mescht

20.Chunya Munga 21.Callum Chick 22.Jonny Weimann 23.Fraser Dingwall

Sale Sharks vs Bath

Kickoff: 6pm, Sunday 29th March

Venue: CorpAcq Stadium

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

If i were to make a Prem table based on vibes alone, Sale would be sitting 9th with only Harlequins below them. Injuries have taken their toll, leaving this beleaguered team to limp to the finish line whilst desperately clinging to a Champions Cup spot. Bath are at the other end of the spectrum. They are a very strong team that is in a great place at the moment. Johan van Graan has rotated quite heavily in some areas for this fixture but their team still looks good.

There is good news and bad news for Alex Sanderson in this one. The good news is the return of several key players to the starting line-up: Rodd, Cowan-Dickie and Roebuck all return. The bad news is that there are still too many injuries. This has lead to the selection of Nathan Jibulu at openside flanker where Sale fans would normally expect to see one of the Curry twins. Jibulu definitely has many of the attributes of a successful flanker but it's still not an ideal situation.

For Bath, Kirk, Frost and Sela make up an entirely new fromt row whilst Jeanes, Staddon and Hill are the other 3 changes to the pack. This is a heavily rotated group, against which Sale will fancy their chances. In the backs, Spencer and Russell have been rested with Santi Carreras getting a rare start at fly-half. Arundell, Lawrence and Ojomoh are also all rested with Cokanasiga, Redpath and Hennessey coming into the team. The real strength of this group is the bench which is packed with starters to take the game away from Sale in the final 20 minutes. Bath's bench front row of Tuipulotu, Obano and du Toit will have a huge advantage over Sale's group of Caine, McEachran and Ramont. If Bath are in this game in the second half, they could easily run away with it late on. I think Bath have enough to win this.

Team news

Sale Sharks

Starting XV

1.Bevan Rodd 2.Luke Cowan-Dickie 3.James Harper 4.Ernst van Rhyn(C) 5.Ben Bamber

6.Sam Dugdale 7.Nathan Jibulu 8.Jacques Vermeulen 9.Raffi Quirke 10.George Ford

11.Arron Reed 12.Rekeiti Ma'asi-White 13.Rob du Preez 14.Tom Roebuck 15.Joe Carpenter

Bench

16.Ethan Caine 17.Ralph McEachran 18.Tye Ramont 19.Dan du Preez

20.Jos Gilmore 21.Gus Warr 22.Marius Louw 23.Tom O'Flaherty

Bath

Starting XV

1.Scott Kirk 2.Dan Frost 3.Vilikesa Sela 4.Will Jeanes 5.Ross Molony

6.Ted Hill 7.Ethan Staddon 8.Miles Reid 9.Tom Carr-Smith 10.Santi Carreras

11.Will Muir 12.Cameron Redpath 13.Louie Hennessey 14.Joe Cokanasiga 15.Tom de Glanville

Bench

16.Kepueli Tuipulotu 17.Beno Obano 18.Thomas du Toit 19.Charlie Ewels

20.Ewan Richards 21.Bernard van der Linde 22.Chris Harris 23.Alfie Barbeary