Northampton Saints vs Saracens

Kickoff: 7:45pm, Friday 24th October

Venue: Cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

Friday night will be a clash between the 2 teams at the top of the prem table. Northampton are the only remaining unbeaten team in the league having won 3 and lost 1 of their first 4 games. Saracens sit second having won 3 games and lost 1. Saracens appear to be back to their best after a minor blip against Harlequins, and are coming into this game with a hugely physical team. The Saints have had some good news on the injury front with the return of George Hendy at fullback sooner than was expected.

Phil Dowson has made a few changes to the team that battled past Newcastle last Friday night. In the pack, JJ Van Der Mescht is available despite being sent off last week, so there are only 3 changes in the pack. Tom Lockett comes in to the second row thus moving Coles to the back row alongside Pollock and Pearson. Josh Kemeny and Sam Graham both drop out of the team entirely whilst Chick only drops to the bench. The only personnel change amongst the backs is the aforementioned return of George Hendy. He replaces Tom Litchfield, who drops to the bench, and moves Tommy Freeman back to his more usual home on the right wing.

Mark McCall has made 2 changes to the side that trounced Sale last weekend. In the pack, Andy Onyeama-Christie swaps places with Ben Earl and rejoins the starting XV whilst Earl drops to the bench. In the backs, Star-boy Noah Caluori is joined on the wing by Jack Bracken who joins his brother, Charlie, in the starting line-up. This is a team has a big mix of international stars and a few promising youngsters who are already breaking through.

Team news

Northampton Saints

Starting XV
1.Danilo Fischetti 2.Robbie Smith 3.Trevor Davison 4.Tom Lockett 5.JJ Van Der Mescht

6.Alex Coles 7.Tom Pearson 8.Henry Pollock 9.Alex Mitchell 10.Fin Smith

11.Edoardo Todaro 12.Fraser Dingwall(C) 13.Rory Hutchinson 14.Tommy Freeman 15.George Hendy

Bench

16.Craig Wright 17.Emmanuel Iyogun 18.Luke Green 19.Ed Prowse

20.Callum Chick 21.Archie McParland 22.Anthony Belleau 23.Tom Litchfield

Saracens

Starting XV
1.Eroni Mawi 2.Theo Dan 3.Marco Riccioni 4.Maro Itoje(C) 5.Hugh Tizard

6.Juan Martin Gonzalez 7.Andy Onyeama-Christie 8.Tom Willis 9.Charlie Bracken 10.Fergus Burke

11.Jack Bracken 12.Owen Farrell 13.Nick Tompkins 14.Noah Caluori 15.Max Malins

Bench

16.James Hadfield 17.Rhys Carre 18.Marcus Street 19.Nick Isiekwe 

20.Theo McFarland 21.Ben Earl 22.Gareth Simpson 23.Angus Hall

Predicted winner: Northampton Saints

Exeter Chiefs vs Gloucester

Kickoff: 3pm, Saturday 25th October

Venue: Sandy Park

Watch on: Discovery plus

Exeter and Gloucester are coming into this game in very different positions. The Chiefs have had an electric start to the season and have only had the additions of Ikitau and Hooper from last week. Meanwhile, Gloucester are 9th in the table with a decimated squad and a raft of injuries already. This feels like a huge game for both teams. Exeter have had a good start and could really do with a final win to end this pre-internationals period as a big success. Gloucester need to stop the rot and earn their first win before a big break during which they will hopefully regain some key squad members.

After thrashing Harlequins last week, it is understandable that Rob Baxter has gone with a very similar team to the one that was so impressive. The only change is in the front row where Goodrick-Clarke is replaced by Scott Sio. Exeter are continuing with their heavy back row of Roots, Hooper and Fisilau who can all slot in easily across the back row and they are well-suited to dealing with Gloucester's big back row. Their rapid back three will also be a point of difference up against a Gloucester unit that is still having to manage without some key stars.

Like Exeter, Gloucester have gone with a very similar team to the one that they went with last week. However, that seems to be more down to a lack of options than on-pitch success. The only change in the pack is Fasogbon dropping to the bench with the former All Black, Nepo Laulala, coming into the starting XV. There is a ray of good news for Gloucester as Ben Redshaw is now fit to make his first start of the season on the wing. However  that is also because Thorley and Loader, who both started last week, are both unavailable. Jack Cotgreave starts on the other wing in a very young back 3 that will inevitably put under heaps of pressure in the kicking game.

Team news

Exeter Chiefs

Starting XV
1.Scott Sio 2.Joseph Dweba 3.Josh Iosefa-Scott 4.Dafydd Jenkins 5.Rusi Tuima

6.Tom Hooper 7.Ethan Roots 8.Greg Fisilau 9.Stephen Varney 10.Harvey Skinner

11.Olly Woodburn 12.Len Ikitau 13.Henry Slade 14.Immanuel Feyi-Waboso 15.Josh Hodge

Bench

16.Jack Yeandle 17.Ethan Burger 18.Bachuki Tchumbadze 19.Andrea Zambonin

20.Kane James 21.Charlie Chapman 22.Will Haydon-Wood 23.Ben Hammersley

Gloucester

Starting XV
1.Ciaran Knight 2.Seb Blake 3.Nepo Laulala 4.Freddie Thomas 5.Matias Alemmano 

6.Josh Basham 7.James Venter 8.Hugh Bokenam 9.Tomos William(C) 10.Ross Byrne

11.Jack Cotgreave 12.Max Llewellyn 13.Will Joseph 14.Ben Redshaw 15.Charlie Atkinson

Bench

16.Jack Innard 17.Dian Bleuler 18.Afo Fasogbon 19.Cam Jordan

20.Jack Mann 21.Caolan Englefield 22.George Barton 23.Will Knight

Predicted winner: Exeter Chiefs

Harlequins vs Newcastle Red Bulls

Kickofff: 3pm, Saturday 25th October

Venue: The Twickenham Stoop

Watch on: Discovery plus

This is an interesting fixture for 2 teams that could both really do with a victory. Harlequins were embarrassed last week in Exeter and need to bounce back before the break, whilst Newcastle are yet to win a game and will be looking at this bruised Quins team as one that is there for the taking. This game has the makings of a very scrappy encounter. Unless, of course, Marcus Smith turns up and takes things over in the way he failed to last weekend.

Despite losing so badly last weekend, Hatlequins have opted to give this group another chance. I'm not sure they have much choice given the lack of depth within the squad. In the pack, Zach Carr starts at no.8 due to the absences of Cunningham-South, Dombrandt and Chisholm. There is also a dearth of fit centres at the moment with Northmore now partnering a different fly-half in midfield; Jarrod Evans starts in this game with Jamie Benson dropping to the bench. Harlequins will be hoping that this can ramp up their kicking game.

Newcastle have also only made 2 changes to the team that pushed Northampton at home last Friday. The back line has been shifted around as Alex Hearle moves back to the wing where he is more comfortable and Oli Spencer takes the opposite journey. Coetzee and Obatoyinbo both come into the back three for Williams and Chamberlain, who have both impressed in their starts this season. They've also gone with a very heavy bench and a 6-2 split. Newcastle have been abysmal away from home over the past few seasons and will be looking to make a dramatic change on Friday afternoon.

Team news

Harlequins

Starting XV

1.Fin Baxter 2.Jack Walker 3.Harry Williams 4.Guido Petti 5.Stephan Lewies

6.Jack Kenningham 7.Will Evans 8.Zach Carr 9.Will Porter 10.Marcus Smith

11.Cadan Murley 12.Jarrod Evans 13.Luke Northmore 14.Rodrigo Isgro 15.Tyrone Green

Bench

16.George Turner 17.Boris Wenger 18.Pedro Delgado 19.Joe Launchbury

20.Jonny Green 21.Max Green 22.Jamie Benson 23.Cassius Cleaves

Newcastle Red Bulls

Starting XV

1.Adam Brocklebank 2.George McGuigan(C) 3.Richard Palframan 4.Jamie Hodgson 5.Freddie Clarke

6.Fergus Lee-Warner 7.Tom Gordon 8.Amanaki Mafi 9.Simon Benitez Cruz 10.Brett Connon

11.Alex Hearle 12.Max Clarke 13.Oli Spencer 14.Elliott Obatoyinbo 15.Stefan Coetzee

Bench

16.Ollie Fletcher 17.Murray McCallum 18.Luan de Bruin 19.Oscar Usher

20.Freddie Lockwood 21.James Elliot 22.Ollie Leatherbarrow 23.Nathan Greenwod

Predicted winner: Harlequins

Bath vs Bristol Bears

Kickoff: 3:05pm, Saturday 25th October

Venue: The Recreation Ground

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

Bath and Bristol dominated the table for much of last season and met in a Prem semi-final in which Bath came out on top on their way to winning the whole thing. This year, they have both started well and are in the top 4 having won 3 and lost 1 game each. Bristol have coped spectacularly with an ever-expanding injury list whilst Bath will be looking for a response to a last-second defeat in Leicester last weekend.

Johan van Graan has flexed his side's depth and made 7 changes to the team that lost to Leicester. Team regulars Tom Dunn and Thomas du Toit are both back into the team, as well as Sam Underhill, Josh Bayliss and Miles Reid in an all-changed back row. There are 2 more changes in the backs with Ollie Lawrence returning to the centres in place of Louie Hennessey, who has just been called up by Wales, and Joe Cokanasiga comes in for Tom de Glanville on the right wing.

Bristol meanwhile  are winning games ,and don't have a lot of options, so have only made 3 changes to last week's team. Ellis Genge returns to the starting team in time to face a Springbok tighthead prop. Santiago Grondona will bring his athleticism to the game in place of the experienced Fitz Harding. In the backs, Jack Bates comes onto the wing for Max Pepper and will provide some more bulk in the wide channels to counter Bath's power.

Team news

Bath

Starting XV

1.Beno Obano 2.Tom Dunn 3.Thomas du Toit 4.Quinn Roux 5.Ross Molony

6.Josh Bayliss 7.Guy Pepper 8.Miles Reid 9.Ben Spencer(C) 10.Finn Russell

11.Henry Arundell 12.Cameron Redpath 13.Ollie Lawrence 14.Joe Cokanasiga 15.Santi Carreras

Bench

16.Kepu Tuipulotu 17.Francois Van Wyk 18.Will Stuart 19.Ewan Richards

20.Sam Underhill 21.Tom Carr-Smith 22.Max Ojomoh 23.Alfie Barbeary

Bristol Bears

Starting XV

1.Ellis Genge 2.Gabriel Oghre 3.George Kloska 4.Pedro Rubiolo 5.Joe Batley

6.Santiago Grondona 7.Fitz Harding(C) 8.Villiame Mata 9.Kieran Marmion 10. Joe Worsley

11.Kalaveti Ravouvou 12.Bernhard Janse Van Rensburg 13.Matias Moroni 14.Jack Bates 15.Benjamin Elizalde

Bench

16.Harry Thacker 17.Jake Woolmore 18.Lovejoy Chawatama 19.Joe Owen

20.Benjamin Grondona 21.Oscar Lennon 22.Josh Carrington 23.Toby Fricker

Predicted winner: Bath

Leicester Tigers vs Sale Sharks

Kickoff: 5:30pm, Saturday 25th October

Venue: Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

These 2 teams are definitely in the hunt for playoff places and have both struggled with inconsistency in a small number of games. Sale have had some big wins, but were utterly humiliated in North London last weekend whilst Leicester will still be jubilant after defeating the league's reigning champions.

Given last week's success, it's no surprise that Geoff Parling has only made one change to his starting XV. And, to be honest, it's a slightly surprising one. Izaia Perese will start at 13 with kata moving back inside to 12. They are both good players, but are very similar and don't provide enough balance to the team. In the modern game, teams generally like 2 play-makers and Leicester will only have one on Saturday afternoon. Freddie Steward is not a creative player and neither are either of the wingers. Leicester now risk being too one-dimensional in attack against a defence that is usually incredible and will now be even more motivated after what happened last weekend. 

The Sale Sharks are clearly really struggling with injuries. So much so, that Asher Opoku-Fordjour will be lining up at loosehead prop instead of tighthead where he usually plays. James Harper comes in to start at tighthead prop with Willgriff John also still unavailable. The only piece of good news in the starting XV for Sale is the return of Jacques Vermeulen in the back row which allows Ernst Van Rhyn to move back into the second row. There is also some good news on the bench where Dan du Preez is back on the bench which means that Sale finally have an actual back-row on the bench instead of a 3rd-choice hooker providing cover. At fullback, Luke James starts in place of the injured Joe Carpenter and Ma'asi-White comes back in for Marius Louw. Sale need a big performance on Saturday with their backs against the wall. This game looks set to be a hugely physical contest that will suit both teams.

Team news

Leicester Tigers

Starting XV
1.Nicky Smith 2.Jamie Blamire 3,Joe Heyes 4.Cameron Henderson 5.Ollie Chessum(C)

6.Hanro Liebenberg 7.Tommy Reffell 8.Olly Cracknell 9.Tom Whiteley 10.James O'Connor

11.Ollie Hassell-Collins 12.Solomone Kata 13.Izaia Perese 14.Adam Radwan 15.Freddie Steward

Bench

16.Charlie Clare 17.Tarek Haffar 18.Will Hurd 19.Harry Wells

20.Emeka Ilione 21.Ollie Allan 22.Billy Searle 23.Orlando Bailey

Sale Sharks

Starting XV
1.Asher Opoku-Fordjour 2.Luke Cowan-Dickie 3.James Harper 4.Ernst Van Rhyn(C) 5.Ben Bamber

6.Jacques Vermeulen 7.Tristan Woodman 8.Sam Dugdale 9.Gus Warr 10.George Ford

11.Tom O'Flaherty 12.Rekeiti Ma'asi-White 13.Rob du Preez 14.Tom Roebuck 15.Luke James

Bench

16.Nathan Jibulu 17.Tumy Onasanya 18.Patreece Bell 19.Tom Burrow

20.Dan du Preez 21.Raffi Quirke 22.Marius Louw 23.Arron Reed

Predicted winner: Sale Sharks