Friday 5th November 8:00pm Leeds Tykes v Northampton Saints
Back to league rugby at Headingley on Friday night as two teams who have had mixed European fortunes over the past fortnight look to gain valuable league points to try and elevate themselves into the top half of the table.
Leeds were beaten by a last minute score by Dean Richards’ Grenoble side on Friday night and bow out of the European Challenge Cup at the first hurdle, losing by one point on aggregate. Last time in the Zurich Premiership they had a good win at London Irish after breaking their Headingley duck for 2004 the previous week with a win against Worcester. The last time they managed to put together a three match winning sequence in the league was exactly two years ago when they defeated Bristol, Bath and Saracens.
Northampton, with five consecutive defeats in the Zurich Premiership and with only one try on the board in five games, will be rejuvenated after their exploits in the Heineken Cup over the last two weeks. They won a hard match in Glasgow the first week and last Saturday, inspired by the return of Paul Grayson, demolished Llanelli showing their best form of the season to date. Back in the ‘bread and butter’ competition though they have dropped to 10th position in the league. There are few points separating positions five to ten and if Northampton can continue to improve, they can quickly move away from their present lowly position.
This is likely to be a very close match, most games at Headingley are. Northampton have won five of the six league matches the teams have contested and may just win again on Friday.
Prediction: Northampton to win by 3 points
Friday 5th November 8.00pm London Wasps v NEC Harlequins
Bonfire night rugby comes to the Causeway Stadium on Friday when London Wasps entertain old adversaries NEC Harlequins.
Wasps will be very pleased with the way they have started their defence of the Heineken Cup. A home win against Biarritz followed by a bonus point victory against Italians Calvisano leaves them in pole position in Pool 1. Importantly, their injury situation is greatly improving and they are getting back to something like full strength. They sit fourth in the Zurich Premiership, four points behind leaders Leicester, and have put together a good run of four consecutive wins.
NEC Harlequins, conversely, are still searching for that elusive first victory in all competitions this season. They have continued to improve recently and were unlucky in defeat in Munster and should have beaten Castres last Saturday but had to settle for a 23-23 draw. They have not managed a Zurich Premiership win away from the Stoop since January, and are unlikely to break this poor run at High Wycombe.
NEC Harlequins do have a good record against Wasps. In recent encounters they have won four from the last six. Wasps sneaked in by a point in the last game at the Causeway in February, but should win by a few more points on Friday.
Prediction: London Wasps to win by 12 points
Friday 5th November 7:45pm Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons
Sale, able to rest some of their squad as they easily progressed through the first round of the European Challenge Cup, entertain a Newcastle side on Friday night at Edgeley Park who have had a tough, but very successful start to their Heineken Cup campaign.
Sale visited Sicily to play Catania and won by nine points, but ran away with the second leg scoring 50 points with only a penalty in reply. They lie second in the Zurich Premiership, a point behind leaders Leicester and have only lost one match this season, a somewhat surprising defeat by London Irish last time at home.
Newcastle will be delighted with the results of their efforts over the last two weeks. They followed up a hard fought win at the Newport home of the Gwent Dragons, by beating top French side Perpignan at Kingston Park on Sunday and sit at the top of Pool 5. Their league form has been erratic and they hold fifth position despite not winning any of their last four games. The top four have created a gap though and Newcastle trail fourth placed Wasps by seven points.
Newcastle have much the better record in these fixtures and have won 10 of the last 14 league meetings. Sale’s four wins have all come at home, including the last three times they have met, winning by 20 points plus on each occasion. Although perhaps not scoring so many, they should win again on Friday.
Prediction: Sale to win by 7 points
Saturday 6th November 2:45pm Leicester Tigers v Gloucester
Saturday’s televised game brings us one of the most eagerly awaited clashes of the season as top of the table Leicester face third placed Gloucester, both returning from Europe winning one of their two games played.
After trouncing Italians Calvisano, Leicester were disappointing when going down 23-8 to Biarritz last Saturday. Last time out in the Zurich Premiership they won a kicking battle in a dire contest at Harlequins and were fortunate last time at home to scrape a draw against Bath. However, their opening day reverse at Sale is still their only defeat in 15 league matches, since losing at home to Gloucester on 3rd January.
Gloucester were involved in two of the most exciting Heineken Cup encounters. They lost to Stade Francais in Paris despite scoring 31 points and then extended their unbeaten home record in the competition to 11 games by thrashing Ulster 55-13, scoring six tries in the process. In the Zurich Premiership they have only lost one game from the first seven this season and have won 14 of their last 17 stretching back to December last year. They won away last time out at Worcester to add to previous away victories at Leeds and Northampton.
Leicester hold the upper hand in these fixtures and have won 11 of the last 18 meetings and have only lost one (last season) of the last nine home matches between the sides.
In a very difficult game to call, Leicester may just come out on top.
Prediction: Leicester to win by 5 points
Saturday 6th November 3:00pm Saracens v Bath Rugby
Saracens relinquish home advantage for the second time this season as they entertain Bath at Franklin’s Gardens Northampton. Both teams have identical records in the Zurich Premiership and sit in sixth and seventh places.
Saracens beat next to bottom French side Bayonne in both legs to progress to the second round of the European Challenge Cup. Last time away from Vicarage Road in the league they were unlucky not to win at Newcastle and had to settle for a draw.
Bath beat Bourgoin at the Rec in their first Heineken Cup Pool game but were well beaten by Leinster at Landsdowne Road on Saturday after putting up a good fight for an hour. They are unbeaten in their last three league away matches, their only defeat coming at the hands of Northampton on the opening day of the season.
Honours are pretty even between these two sides over the years. Bath have won the last three games though and they are tipped to take advantage of playing an away game on neutral territory.
Prediction: Bath to win by six points
Sunday 7th November 3:00pm London Irish v Worcester Warriors
London Irish welcome Worcester to the Madejski Stadium for the first time, both having played French opposition in the European Challenge Cup over the last fortnight.
After winning 20-18 at French Top 16 bottom side Auch, London Irish predictably won more comfortably at home and progressed to the second round by an aggregate of 62-36. They have been inconsistent in the Zurich Premiership and after winning at second placed Sale, they then returned to Reading and were beaten by Leeds.
Worcester opened their European account with an excellent home win against seventh placed French side and 1997 Heineken Cup winners Brive. A 40-10 defeat in the return leg ended their campaign for this year but they will have benefited from the experience. They presently sit next to bottom of the Zurich Premiership with the one win, at home to Harlequins, to their credit. They have acquired, along with Leicester, the most bonus points in the division.
The only time the teams have met before was a Powergen Cup tie in 2000 which London Irish won at Sixways. Assuming the better London Irish side turn up, home advantage should see them through on Sunday
Prediction: London Irish to win by 5 points. |
