Harlequins vs Bristol
Team news:
Harlequins
1.Marler 2.Walker 3.Kerrod 4.Herbst 5.Lamb 6.Kenningham 7.W.Evans 8.Dombrandt(C)
9.Porter 10.J.Evans 11.Murley 12.Northmore 13.Beard 14.Isgro 15.Green
16.Jibulu 17.Baxter 18.Lamositele 19.Launchbury 20.Chisholm 21.Care 22.Benson 23.David
On Friday night Joe Marler will play his final game of professional rugby union. He has become a legend of the game for both his rugby abilities and his character off the pitch which has seen him transcend rugby in the public conscience in a way that few other modern Englishmen have. The game will be poorer for not having him in it. I expect that he'll get quite the send off when he is replaced by Fin Baxter in the second half. As for the rest of the team, Marcus Smith and Chandler Cunningham-South are both rested having been involved in all four of England's games this month. Isgro starts having signed a contract extension earlier in the week. Luke Northmore will no doubt be keenly watched by Steve Borthwick as he starts at inside centre.
Bristol
1.Woolmore 2.Oghre 3.Lahiff 4.Dun 5.Owen 6.S.Grondona 7.Harding(C) 8.Mata
9.Marmion 10.MacGinty 11.Ibitoye 12.Van Rensburg 13.Ravouvou 14.Bates 15.Lane
16.Thacker 17.Thomas 18.Chawatama 19.Luatua 20.B.Grondona 21.Lennon 22.Jenkins 23.Elizalde
Genge and Randall are both rested having played in every England game. Elsewhere, the Bears are struggling for depth at lock with Joe Batley out injured. There is an exciting match up of back rows in this game. Mata has been a good addition at no.8 for Bristol and the Grondona brothers have both been excellent signings so it will be interesting to wath them go up against Kenningham, Evans and Dombrandt. It will likely be a godd indicator of where this back row unit is in uts development. This game should also be a good watch with two teams who are famed for their expansive style of rugby. Ibitoye versus Isgro is a fascinating matchup in the wing.
My Prediction
Harlequins 22 vs Bristol 21
Newcastle vs Saracens
Team news:
Newcastle:
1.McCallum 2.Blamire 3.palframan 4.Van der Walt 5.De Chaves 6.Lockwood 7.Gordon 8.Chick(C)
9.Stuart 10.Connon 11.Hearle 12. Hutchison 13.Arnold 14.Stevenson 15.Grayson
16.Fletcher 17.Rewcastle 18.Hancock 19.Mcdonald 20.Leathbarrow 21.Pepper 22.Doherty 23.Radwan
The Falcons will be buoyed by their success in the Premiership Cup. They have also found a new combination at 10 and 15 of Connon, who is now back and match fit, and Ethan Grayson who had done an admirable job filling in for Connon at fly-half. They will be hoping that these two can bring more control and creativity to Newcastle's attack as well as allowing them to compete more efrectively in the kicking and territorial facets of the game. However, that will be more challenging without Redshaw and Radwan providing the pace in the back three.
Saracens
1.Carre 2.Dan 3.Balmain 4.Mcfarland 5.Tizard 6.Gonzalez 7.Knight 8.Willis
9.Van Zyl(C) 10.Burke 11.Segun 12.Tompkins 13.Lozowski 14.Elliot 15.Daly
16.Hadfirld 17.Mawi 18.Riccioni 19.Wilson 20.Michelow 21.Simpson 22.Spink 23.Parton
George,Isiekwe,Itoje and Earl are all missing due to just having finished the Autumn internationals. This means that Tizard and Macfarland start in the second row. This is a very strong Saracens team in the starting line-up but the bench looks a little more bare in terms of recognised stars compared to a normal Saracens bench. There is also a Saracens debut for Fraser Balmain who has just returned from injury.
My Prediction:
Newcastle 12 vs 23 Saracens
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