Sale Sharks vs Saracens
Kickoff: 7:45pm Friday
Stadium: Salford Community Stadium
Watch on: TNT Sports
Team news
Sale Sharks
1.Rodd 2.Cowan-Dickie 3.Opoku-Fudjour 4.Bamber 5.Andrews
6.Van Rhyn 7.T.Curry 8.J-L.Du Preez 9.Warr 10.Ford
11.Reed 12.Ma'asi-White 13.R.Du Preez 14.Roebuck 15.Carpenter
16.McElroy 17.McIntyre 18.John 19.Beaument
20.D.Du Preez 21.Dugdale 22.Quirke 23.O'Flaherty
Saracens
1.Carre 2.George 3.Clarey 4.Itoje(C) 5.Tizard
6.Isiekwe 7.Earl 8.Willis 9.Van Zyl 10.Burke
11.Segun 12.Hartley 13.Tompkins 14.Hall 15.Daly
16.Dan 17.Mawi 18.Beaton 19.McFarland
20.Onyeama-Christie 21.Gonzalez 22.Bracken 23.Goode
Saracens and Sale are two heavyweights who are both vying for the final playoff spots. Friday's game is absolutely crucial to deciding which of these teams finishes in their desired spot. These two squads are very close in ability and are both well-coached. Sale have the edge in the front row with three international-quality players taking on a front row lead by Jamie George with a couple of good props but not great ones. The other forward areas will be a tight battle; Itoje, Earl and Willis are all international stars whereas Sale have only one Curry brother in response. However, DU Preez and Bamber are both also big, powerful forwards who will look to impose themselves. Van Zyl and Burke are a solid pairing but Warr and Ford bring a control to the game that allow them to strangle the opposition's creativity by dominating territory and the flow of the game. And, if necessary. Raffi Quirke can come off the bench and provide a serious change of pace to inject some electricity into the Sharks attack. Sale also have the advantage in the back three with a consistent trio of Reed, Roebuck and Carpenter. It's a well-balanced group that possesses speed, aerial dominance, strength and defensive solidity in a way that Saracens lack. Saracens do still have that champion DNA so write them off at your peril.
Prediction
Sale Sharks 29 vs 23 Saracens
Bath vs Newcastle Falcons
Kickoff: 3pm Saturday
Stadium: The Rec
Watch on: TNT Sports
Team news
Bath
1.Van Wyck 2.Annett 3.Stuart 4.Roux 5.Ewels(C)
6.Hill 7.Underhill 8.Barbeary 9.Carr-Smith 10.Donoghue
11.Hennessey 12.Butt 13.Redpath 14.McConnochie 15.Emens
16.Dunn 17.Du Toit 18.Griffin 19.Bayliss
20.Pepper 21.Schreuder 22.Russell 23.Tuipulotu
Newcastle
1.Brocklebank 2.Blamire 3.Palframan 4.Hawkins 5.De Chaves
6.Lockwood 7.Neild .Chick(C) 9.Stuart 10.Connon
11.Stevenson 12.Clark 13.Doherty 14.Hearle 15.Brown
16.Fletcher 17.Rewcastle 18.McCallum 19.Usher
20.Leatherbarrow 21.Pepper 22.Spencer 23.Arnold
Bath have rotated heavily for Saturday's game against Newcastle. Van Wyck and Annett both start in the front row next to Will Stuart with Archie Griffin back on the bench being joined by Dunn and Du Toit. Interestingly, Kepu Tuipulotu has been given the 23 shirt meaning Bath have two hookers on the bench. Hill, Underhill and Barbeary make up a top-quality back row which could win the game on its own. They will be backed up by Guy Pepper who's brother, Max, is the bench scrum-half for Newcastle. The big rotations come in the backs with Carr-Smith and Donoghue starting as the halfbacks setting up a back three of Emens. Hennessy and McConnochie. If necessary, Fin Russell will be ready to rescue things from the bench. Newcastle will be buoyed by the rotations but still expect a tough away trip down south. There is no spot for Redshaw after his move to Gloucester next season was announced.
Leicester Tigers vs Harlequins
Kickoff: 3:05pm Saturday
Stadium: Welford Road
Watch on: TNT Sports
Team news
Leicester Tigers
1.Smith 2.Montoya(C) 3.Heyes 4.Henderson 5.Chessum
6.Liebenberg 7.Reffell 8.Hatherell 9.Van Poortvliet 10.Pollard
11.Hassell-Collins 12.Woodward 13.Kata 14.Radwan 15.Steward
16.Clare 17.Whitcombe 18..Cole 19.Wells
20.Ilione 21.Youngs 22.Shillcock 23.Kelly
Harlequins
1.Baxter 2.Walker 3.Lamositele 4.Herbst 5.Hammond
6.Cunningham-South 7.Kenningham 8.Dombrandt(C) 9.Gjaltema 10.Smith
11.Murley 12.Northmore 13.Beard 14.Anderson 15.Green
16.Jibulu 17.Jones 18.Lewis 19.Launchbury
20.Lawday 21.W.Evans 22.Murray 23.Benson
Harlequin's season was put on life support after their disheartening loss to Sale at home last week and a loss this weekend would likely be the final nail in the coffin. Leicester are certainly a team built to do it. They have the things that Harlequins struggle against. The power of the Tigers front five is something the away side will find it challenging to deal with as well as the control of the halfbacks. Harlequins are on their third-choice scrum-half and Marcus Smith's form has dropped off a cliff after the Six Nations. Quins' one, big hope is their back three of Cunningham-South, Kenningham and Dombrandt with Evans on the bench. Northmore and Beard are a dangerous centre combination if Northmore can return to his usual level which has dipped recently.
Prediction
Leicester Tigers 34 vs 24 Harlequins
Northampton Saints vs Bristol Bears
Kickoff: 5:30pm Saturday
Stadium: Franklin's Gardens
Watch on: TNT Sports
Team news
Northampton Saints
1.Iyogun 2.C.Langdon 3.Davison 4.Mayanavanu 5.Coles
6.Kemeny 7.Pollock 8.Augustus 9.Mitchell 10.F.Smith
11.Litchfield 12.Hutchinson 13.Dingwall(C) 14.Freeman 15.Ramm
16.Walker 17.West 18.Millar-Mills 19.Lockett
20.Scott-Young 21.James 22.Seabrook 23.Glister
Bristol Bears
1.Genge 2.Thacker 3.Lahiff 4.Caulfield 5.Owen
6.Luatua 7.S.Grondona 8.Harding(C) 9.Randall 10.MacGinty
11.Ibitoye 12.Van Rensburg 13.Ravouvou 14.Bailey 15.Lane
16.Oghre 17.Y.Thomas 18.Kloska 19.Mata
20.B.Grondona 21.Marmion 22.Williams 23.Naulago
Northampton's season is done in terms of a domestic playoff push with their only league aim to secure a Champions' Cup spot for the 2025/26 season. They also have a European semi-final to look forward to so the league will not be a priority. Bristol needs a win at the weekend to stop their slip in form over the last couple of games. They should be able to do that against Northampton. MacGinty is working his way back into form and when he does this Bristol team will be back to being incredibly dangerous.
Prediction
Northampton Saints 16 vs 25 Bristol Bears
Gloucester vs Exeter Chiefs
Kickoff: 3pm Sunday
Stadium: Kingsholm
Watch on: TNT Sports
Team news
Gloucester
1.Rapava-Ruskin 2.Blake 3.Fasogbon 4.Clark 5.Thomas
6.Clement 7.Ludlow(C) 8.Ackermann 9.Williams 10.Anscombe
11.Morris 12.S.Atkinson 13.Harris 14.Wade 15.Carreras
16.Singleton 17.Ford-Robinson 18.Gotovtsev 19.Jordan
20.Clarke 21.Englefield 22.C.Atkinson 23.Cotgreave
Exeter Chiefs
1.Sio 2.Yeandle 3.Street 4.Tuima 5.Jenkins(C)
6.E.Roots 7.Vintcent 8.Fisilau 9.Armstrong 10.Skinner
11.Brown-Bampoe 12.Hawkins 13.Slade 14.Hammersley 15.Hodge
16.Norey 17.Blose 18.Iosefa-Scott 19.Capstick
20.Vermeulen 21.Townsend 22.Haydon-Wood 23.Rigg
Gloucester have to get a win in this game to keep themselves in the race for a playoff spots. There are now 5 teams going for 3 places and Gloucester currently find themselves on the outside after a poor second half against Saracens. This game won't be easy with Exeter showing a lot of promise in recent outings but Gloucester have the talent to get themselves over the line in a huge fixture for them.
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