ZURICH PREMIERSHIP
Saturday 9th April 3pm
Bath v Northampton Saints
Three matches left for all the teams in the Zurich Premiership and what a finish to the season. Some incredible results in round 19 left us with the top two battling it out with only four points separating them, three teams (four at a pinch), still in with a chance of taking the third play-off place and no less than five teams still in the relegation mix. Only Newcastle, lying in seventh place, have almost no chance of finishing third or going down.
Saturday’s televised offering is the match at the Rec where the home side are fighting for the third play-off place, and the visitors are looking for a further win that should ensure their survival in the top flight.
Bath had a break last weekend, but won their Easter fixture when they became only the second side this season to beat Newcastle at Kingston Park. This win kept them in fourth place and moved them to within two points of third placed Sale Sharks. With home fixtures against Northampton and Leeds to come and a visit to London Irish in between, they will fancy their chances of taking maximum points from their last three games. Bath have a better away record than home this season. They have played nine matches at the Rec, and won four, lost four and drawn one, which is pretty average by their standards.
Northampton went down heavily in Toulouse on Friday night to end what has been a successful Heineken Cup campaign this season. Last time out in the league, they beat Harlequins with a converted try deep into injury time. This was their third league win on the run and saw them move up to ninth place in the league. They are only one point ahead of London Irish and Worcester and five points clear of Leeds. After the visit to Bath, they entertain Newcastle, and go to Worcester on the last day of the season. They have played nine away games this season and won at Harlequins, London Irish and Gloucester.
Northampton have a reasonable record at the Rec of late and beat Bath in both 2002 and 2003. Bath hold the long term upper hand though and also beat them last season. They are tipped to go third after this weekend’s fixtures.
Prediction: Bath to win by 8 points
Saturday 9th April 3pm
Gloucester v Leeds Tykes
Gloucester return to Kingsholm on Saturday to face a Leeds Tykes side, who kept their Zurich Premiership place alive with a magnificent one point victory against leaders Leicester on Easter Sunday.
Gloucester beat a poor London Irish by one point in their last league match and stayed in sixth place. They did close the gap on third placed Sale to five points and still hold an outside chance of taking over their position. Their recent form has been very patchy and they would need to win their last three matches against Leeds, Sale and Saracens to have any chance of jumping three places. They have played nine matches at Kingsholm this season, winning six and losing to Leicester, London Wasps and Northampton.
Despite their win over Leicester, Leeds are still four points behind Worcester and London Irish. Last weekend they went to Worcester and in a very high scoring game lost by nine points in the semi-final first leg of the European Shield. They could yet reach two cup finals this season and go down. Leeds have yet to travel to Gloucester and Bath, with a home game against Harlequins in between. They are likely to require two wins from the three games to retain their Zurich Premiership status, although it could all come down to bonus points. They have played nine away matches this season and won at London Irish and Saracens.
This is a difficult call. Gloucester are always difficult to beat at Kingsholm and have beaten Leeds in the three previous league meetings there. Leeds are desperate for points though and this is likely to be a very close match.
Prediction: Gloucester to win by 5 points
Saturday 9th April 3pm
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
Top versus third at Welford Road on Saturday as both sides return to Zurich Premiership action after winning their respective European matches in Ireland last weekend.
Leicester were superb at Lansdowne Road on Saturday and deservedly booked a Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse. They have been a little jittery in the league of late and have lost two and drawn one of their last five matches. They still hold on to the top position but their lead has been cut by second placed Wasps to only four points. With an away trip to Saracens to follow and a last match at home to Wasps, they suddenly have a fight on their hands to finish top of the pile. They are still in a favourite’s position though as their home record is excellent. They have played nine league matches at Welford Road this season, winning eight and drawing with Bath.
Sale Sharks take a seven point advantage back to Edgeley Park for the second leg of their European Challenge Cup semi-final and look to have too much pace for Connacht. They were vying for top spot in the league until recently and although they are still in third place, they now have Bath, Saracens and to a lesser extent Gloucester breathing down their necks. They have lost their last three matches and face Gloucester and Harlequins in their last two. After being in the top three all season they will be extremely disappointed if they miss out on a play-off spot at this late stage. They have played nine matches away from home this season and only won four.
Sale beat Leicester 26-19 on the opening day of the season and last season won a league match at Welford Road for the first time. With both teams needing the points this should be an intriguing match. Leicester should maintain their unbeaten home record.
Prediction: Leicester to win by 6 points
Saturday 9th April 3pm
NEC Harlequins v London Irish
A crucial relegation clash at the Stoop on Saturday, which both sides will see as a must-win game to take some of the pressure off them for the last two matches.
Harlequins were desperately unlucky at Franklin’s Gardens in their last match, conceding 10 points in stoppage time to lose 22-20 to fellow strugglers Northampton. They had won their previous two matches though, and in eighth place, six points off the bottom, are best placed of the five clubs still threatened by relegation. A win on Saturday will probably see them safe. They have played nine matches at the Stoop this season and beaten Leeds, Saracens, Gloucester and Newcastle.
London Irish have the worst recent record in the Zurich Premiership and have only won one of their last nine matches. They were beaten 13-12 at home by Gloucester in their last game and never looked like scoring a try throughout. They have now dropped to 10th position, level on points with Worcester and four ahead of Leeds. With away trips to Harlequins and Newcastle to come, and a home game against Bath, they are in serious trouble. They have played nine away matches this season and beaten Northampton, Sale and Saracens.
London Irish beat Harlequins at Twickenham on the opening day of the season. Quins have won the last two games between the sides at the Stoop and should make it three on the run on Saturday.
Prediction: NEC Harlequins to win by 9 points
Sunday 10th April 3pm
London Wasps v Saracens
A derby match at the Causeway Stadium on Sunday sees London Wasps coming with a late run to try and overhaul leaders Leicester, take on Saracens, also putting a good late run together, and trying to get into the end of season play-offs for the first time.
London Wasps almost let a big lead slip, but beat Sale Sharks by two points in a thriller at Edgeley Park in their last league game, their fourth win on the run. They are now guaranteed at least second place and they could go to Welford Road on 30th April with both teams playing for the league leadership. They have played nine matches at the Causeway Stadium this season, winning six, drawing one and losing to Sale and Bath.
Saracens won at Worcester by one point over Easter for their sixth win in the last seven matches and they stay in fifth spot. They are level on points with Bath and are now only two points behind third placed Sale. With London Wasps and Gloucester to visit, and Leicester to go to Vicarage Road, they have the most difficult fixture list of those in contention for a top three spot. They have played nine matches away from home this season and won at Bath, Northampton, Leeds and Worcester.
These two teams met in the first fixture of the season at Twickenham and Saracens came out on top 13-11. This was the first time they had beaten Wasps in 10 matches since 1999 and Wasps should regain the upper hand on Sunday.
Prediction: London Wasps to win by 7 points
Sunday 10th April 3pm
Newcastle Falcons v Worcester Warriors
Newcastle bowed out of the Heineken Cup in Paris last Saturday and have three tough Premiership matches left, all against teams battling to avoid relegation. They start by entertaining a Worcester side who, despite having won four of their last seven matches, are now next to bottom of the league and perilously close to dropping back down to National One.
Newcastle were well beaten against Stade Francais on Saturday in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup but should be very proud of their achievements in this year’s competition. Back in the Zurich Premiership they have had another ordinary season and sit in seventh place. They haven’t won in their last four matches, but they are difficult to beat at Kingston Park and only Leicester and Bath have managed it this season. After Sunday’s match they travel to Northampton before hosting London Irish on the last day.
Worcester beat Leeds 43-34 at Sixways last Saturday and will now be favourites to make the European Shield Final. They would probably swap their cup win for four league points though. They have put in some excellent performances recently in winning four of their last seven matches, but they are now level on points with London Irish and only four ahead of Leeds. They travel to London Wasps next week before entertaining Northampton on the last day of the season. It remains to be seen how important that result will be to both sides. They have played nine matches away from home and beaten Northampton and Harlequins.
These two sides have only met once before in the league when Newcastle won at Sixways on the opening day of this season. Worcester have more to play for than Newcastle and will run them close. But the Falcons may come out on top.
Prediction: Newcastle Falcons to win by 6 points. |
