ZURICH PREMIERSHIP
Friday 15th April 7:45pm
Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons
A reduced Zurich Premiership programme this weekend due to the Powergen Cup Final. As the league season draws to a close with only two games to go, this is proving to be the most exciting finish ever. Leicester and London Wasps are fighting out top spot and meet each other at Welford Road in the final game. Bath, Sale and Saracens are in contention for the third play off place, and, incredibly, five teams, London Irish, Worcester, Harlequins, Northampton and Leeds, are still in the battle to avoid relegation.
Friday night’s game at Franklin’s Gardens sees Northampton, desperate for a league win, entertain Newcastle Falcons, who have not won any of their last five matches.
After three consecutive wins, Northampton were well beaten at Bath on Saturday and have dropped to next to bottom. They have the same number of points and wins as bottom club Leeds, but have a four point advantage on points difference. They have played 10 home matches this season and won four, beating Bath, Leeds, Leicester and Harlequins.
Newcastle lost at home to Worcester on Sunday and if they had not started the season so well, they could have also been involved in the tussle at the bottom. They have not won any of their last five matches and they remain in seventh place. They are only seven points ahead of the bottom club, but are safe from relegation. Newcastle have played 10 matches away from home this season and won at Worcester, Bath and Leeds.
Newcastle beat Northampton 27-16 at Kingston Park in November but the Saints have won the last six meetings between the sides at Franklin’s Gardens. This is a difficult call between two teams who have disappointed this season, the highlights for both coming in the Heineken Cup. Due to their precarious position, Northampton simply must win and should have more desire. They are tipped to shade it.
Prediction: Northampton saints to win by 6 points
Friday 15th April 7:45pm
Sale Sharks v Gloucester
After spending the whole of the season sitting in one of the top three places, Sale Sharks will be devastated to have dropped to fourth, and will be looking for two wins to conclude their league campaign, starting with a bonus point victory against disappointing Gloucester at Edgeley Park on Friday night.
Sale went down to their heaviest defeat of the season losing 45-15 at Leicester on Saturday and now trail third placed Bath by two points. They have now lost their last four league matches and we have to go back to 18th February to find their last win, against Leeds at Edgeley Park. They have played 10 home matches this season, winning seven and losing to Harlequins, London Irish and London Wasps.
Gloucester lost at home again on Saturday to a team desperate for a win, and Leeds came away with a comfortable 33-15 victory. They stay sixth in the table and their last match of the season, at home to Saracens, could be a play off for fifth and sixth place. They have played 10 matches away from home and won at Leeds, Northampton, Worcester and London Irish, and drew at Newcastle, all teams below them in the division.
An under strength Sale lost at Kingsholm in November and although they beat them at home last season, this was Sale’s first home victory against Gloucester in the last five played, and their only win against them in the last eight matches. Sale are tipped to improve on their poor record against Gloucester with a win on Friday.
Prediction: Sale Sharks to win by 12 points
Sunday 17th April 3pm
London Wasps v Worcester Warriors
Second placed London Wasps play their last home game of the season on Sunday at the Causeway Stadium, looking to gain revenge against a Worcester side fighting for their Premiership lives.
Wasps are again peaking at the right time of the season and they won their fifth league match on the run on Sunday when they beat Saracens 45-24. They are guaranteed to finish in second place and will be looking to go to Welford Road on 30th April with a chance of stealing top spot from Leicester. They have played 10 matches at home this season and only Bath and Sale have beaten them and Leicester managed a draw.
Worcester pulled off a magnificent win under pressure at Newcastle on Sunday and climbed to ninth place in the league. They are however only three points ahead of bottom club Leeds and probably need another win to be certain of playing Premiership rugby next season. They have shown excellent battling qualities in winning four of their last six matches and would like to avoid a possible last match ’winner takes all’ against Northampton at Sixways. They have played 10 away matches this season and won at Northampton, Harlequins and Newcastle.
This is only the second time these sides have ever met in league rugby and Worcester pulled off a major surprise by beating Wasps 27-24 at Sixways in November. Wasps should get their revenge on Sunday.
Prediction: London Wasps to win by 12 points
Sunday 17th April 4pm
Saracens v Leicester Tigers
Saracens, still with an outside chance of taking third place, welcome league leaders Leicester to Vicarage Road on Sunday, looking to go into their last league game against Wasps with a four point advantage.
Saracens went down heavily at Wasps on Sunday and stayed in fifth place, two points behind fourth placed Sale and four points behind third placed Bath. This was only their second defeat in their last seven games. They have played 10 matches at home this season, winning six and drawing one.
Leicester won well again on Saturday beating the then third placed Sale Sharks. They top the league by four points and will be looking for another good performance to take into their Heineken Cup semi-final next week. They have played 10 away matches this season, winning five, drawing two, and losing at Sale, Northampton and Leeds.
Leicester have an excellent record against Saracens and haven’t been beaten by them in a league match since September 2000. They should win again on Saturday.
Prediction: Leicester to win by 8 points |
