Premiership: Twickenham cracker
The battle of the Exiles kicks off the Premiership Christmas programme this weekend.
This is followed by five other cracking matches – including Harlequins taking on Northampton Saints in front of more than 80,000 people at Twickenham Stadium.
Northampton Saints prop Alex Waller insists his side won't let the occasion get to them as they return to Twickenham for the first time since their maiden Premiership title triumph.
Saints beat Saracens at HQ in an extra-time thriller in last season's Premiership Final, but it is Harlequins who await them for the Christmas 'Big Game' on Sunday.
Harlequins have won on their last six visits to Twickenham, but Northampton won all three of the meetings between the sides last season and have lost just one of their last eight games.
And 24-year-old Waller is hoping the mammoth performance from the Saints last weekend – to win at home to Leicester Tigers despite Dylan Hartley's early dismissal – can spur them on again on Sunday.
"We're thrilled with that win last weekend and hoping to move on towards Quins now," he said.
"Playing at Twickenham is always a massive occasion, whether it's a cup Final, international, or regular season game like this one.
"It's not every day you get to play in front of 60,000 to 80,000 people, so it is an occasion that we're looking forward to. But it's not something that we will get overwhelmed by.
"We've played there before and had both successes and failures, so they'll be in the back of the mind.
"It definitely gives you a little boost playing-wise, and affects the way you feel as there is a much bigger crowd there and a lot more eyes on you.
"We're playing at the home of rugby, which is a fantastic occasion but one the senior lads will say we just need to crack on with.
"So we won't get intimidated by it and hopefully come away from there with a victory."
Meanwhile, Quins will be looking to maintain their good form in the Christmas 'Big Games', having lost at HQ just twice out of six so far – against Wasps in 2009 and Saracens in 2011.
And centre Matt Hopper admits the Christmas 'Big Game' is something he looks forward to all year round as he prepares to take part in his fourth.
He said: "Northampton are sitting at the top of the table but we know their game plan and we will gear our training towards that.
"I have been fortunate for the four years that I have been at the club that I have been involved in all of them.
"Looking back, they have been three massive games and they stick in your mind. The crowd is largely Quins and that is great for us as players.
"It is very easy to get up for these fixtures; they're a bit like Europe, an easy game to get up for. All the boys playing want to be on centre stage."
We look at all the Round 11 matches!
Friday, December 26
London Irish v London Welsh
(Madejski Stadium – Kick-of: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)
London Irish's solo victory in their last eight fixtures in all tournaments was 34-23 at home to Cardiff Blues in the European Challenge Cup on December 13.
London Irish have lost all four Premiership encounters played at Madejski Stadium this season.
London Welsh have been defeated in all 16 matches they have played in all tournaments so far this season whilst their 7-78 reversal at Saracens on Saturday was their largest ever competitive defeat.
The two clubs have met twice before in Premiership during season 2012/13 with each side winning its respective home game. London Welsh's only previous visit to Madejski Stadium ended in a 28-47 reversal.
Teams:
London Irish: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Fergus Mulchrone, 12 Shane Geraghty, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Chris Noakes, 9 Scott Steele, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Kieran Low, 5 Nic Rouse, 4 George Skivington (captain), 3 Geoff Cross, 2 David Paice, 1 Tom Court.
Replacements: 16 Harry Allen, 17 Leo Halavatau, 18 Halani Aulika, 19 Daniel Leo, 20 Ofisa Treviranus, 21 Tomas O'Leary, 22 Eamonn Sheridan, 23 Andrew Fenby.
London Welsh: 15 Will Robinson, 14 Elliot Kear, 13 Tom May (captain), 12 Seb Jewell, 11 Nick Scott, 10 Piri Weepu, 9 Rob Lewis, 8 Opeti Fonua, 7 Carl Kirwan, 6 Lachlan McCaffrey, 5 Dean Schofield, 4 James Down, 3 Taione Vea, 2 Nathan Vella, 1 Nathan Trevett.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Morris, 17 Ricky Reeves, 18 Ben Cooper, 19 Peter Browne, 20 Ben Pienaar, 21 Paul Rowley, 22 James Tincknell, 23 Seb Stegmann.
Referee: Greg Garner
Assistant referees: Nigel Carrick and Roy Maybank
TMO: David Sainsbury
Saturday, December 27
Bath v Exeter Chiefs
(Recreation Ground – Kick-off: 14.00; 14.00 GMT)
Bath have won their last six fixtures in all competitions since their 6-18 defeat at Exeter in the Anglo-Welsh Cup on November 8.
Bath are one of two sides to have a 100 percent home winning record in Premiership this season – the other being Wasps.
Exeter Chiefs' eight game winning run in all tournaments ended at Sale on Friday. The Chiefs have not lost successive Premiership encounters since May.
The two clubs have met on eight previous occasions in Premiership with Bath undefeated, although they did draw 12-all at Sandy Park on 29 December 2012.
The Chiefs only previous competitive victory at The Rec came in last season's semifinal of the Anglo-Welsh Cup.
Teams:
Bath: 15 Anthony Watson, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 George Ford, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Stuart Hooper (captain), 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Nick Auterac.
Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Paul James, 18 David Wilson, 19 Dave Attwood, 20 Carl Fearns, 21 Sam Burgess, 22 Micky Young, 23 Ollie Devoto.
Exeter: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Matt Jess, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Don Armand, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Damian Welch, 4 Dean Mumm (captain), 3 Moray Low, 2 Jack Yeandle, 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Mitch Lees, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Haydn Thomas, 22 Ian Whitten, 23 Fetu'u Vainikolo.
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant referees: Paul Burton and Roger Baileff
TMO: Geoff Warren.
Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers
(AJ Bell Stadium – Kick-off: 14.00; 14.00 GMT)
Sale Sharks have won their last four Premiership matches since their 10-43 defeat at table-topping Northampton in Round Six.
The Sharks have not won five in succession in the tournament since season 2006/07.
Sale have won their last four Premiership encounters at AJ Bell Stadium.
Leicester Tigers have lost their last two fixtures, at Toulon and at Northampton, with the reversal at Franklin's Gardens ending a four game unbeaten run in Premiership.
The Tigers have won their last ten encounters with Sharks in all competitions since Sale's 15-12 victory in Premiership at Edgeley Park in September 2009.
Teams:
Sale Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Will Addison, 13 Jonny Leota, 12 Sammy Tuitupou, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Chris Cusiter, 8 Dan Braid (captain), 7 David Seymour, 6 Magnus Lund, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Jonathan Mills, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 2 Marc Jones, 1 Eifion Lewis Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Shalva Mamukashvili, 17 Alberto de Marchi, 18 Ross Harrison, 19 Andrei Ostrikov, 20 Mark Easter, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Joe Ford, 23 Mark Jennings.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Tommy Bell, 14 Mathew Tait, 13 Vereniki Goneva, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs (captain), 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Graham Kitchener, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Michele Rizzo.
Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Sebastian De Chaves, 20 Robert Barbieri, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Owen Williams, 23 Seremaia Bai.
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Assistant referees: Simon McConnell and Peter Huckle
TMO: David Grashoff
Newcastle Falcons v Saracens
(Kingston Park – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)
Newcastle Falcons have slipped to back-to-back defeats in Premiership, at home to Sale and away at Harlequins.
The Falcons have won only twice at Kingston Park in Premiership since October 2013 – in successive home fixtures against Exeter and Gloucester in October and November this year.
Saracens achieved their highest ever score and their biggest ever victory in Premiership when eclipsing London Welsh 78-7 at Allianz Park on Saturday.
Saracens are winless in their last three away games in the competition since beating London Irish 36-32 in Reading in Round three.
Saracens have won their last nine fixtures against the Falcons in all competitions since Newcastle's 13-9 victory at Kingston Park in Premiership on 20 February 2009.
Teams:
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Sinoti Sinoti, 13 Adam Powell, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Tom Catterick 9 Mike Blair, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch, 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Kane Thompson, 4 Calum Green, 3 Scott Wilson, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Rob Vickers.
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Eric Fry, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Joshua Furno, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Ruki Tipuna, 22 Chris Harris, 23 Tom Penny.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Jacques Burger, 6 Billy Vunipola, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Jim Hamilton, 3 James Johnston, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Brett Sharman, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 David Strettle.
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Robin Goodliffe and John Meredith
TMO: Trevor Fisher
Harlequins v Northampton Saints
(Twickenham Stadium – Kick-off: 16.30; 16.30 GMT)
Harlequins' two victories in their last five rounds of Premiership action were away at Gloucester in Round Seven and at home to Newcastle last weekend.
Harlequins have won on their last six visits to Twickenham, whilst their only two defeats in the six previous Christmas 'Big Games' at the home of were against Wasps in 2009 and Saracens in 2011.
Northampton Saints only defeat in their last eight Premiership fixtures was at home to Exeter in Round Seven.
The Saints return for the first time to the scene of their maiden Premiership title win, beating Saracens there in an extra time thriller in last season's Premiership Final.
Saints overall record at Twickenham is won three, lost five.
The two clubs met on three occasions last season in all tournaments with Northampton victorious in each instance.
Harlequins and Northampton have met just once before at Twickenham – the Final of the 1991 Pilkington Cup which 'Quins took 25-13 after extra time.
Teams:
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 George Lowe, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter (captain), 7 Jack Clifford, 6 Joe Trayfoot, 5 George Robson, 4 Charlie Matthews, 3 Will Collier, 2 Dave Ward, 1 Mark Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Darryl Marfo, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Sam Twomey, 20 James Chisholm, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Tom Casson, 23 Ross Chisholm.
Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi 12 Luther Burrell, 11 George North, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Samu Manoa, 7 Tom Wood (captain), 6 Calum Clark, 5 Christian Day, 4 Sam Dickinson, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Mike Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.
Replacements: 16 Ross McMillan, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Ben Nutley, 20 Phil Dowson, 21 Kahn Fotuali'i, 22 James Wilson, 23 Tom Stephenson.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Paul Dix and Kelvin Stewart
TMO: Sean Davey
Sunday, December 28
Gloucester v Wasps
(Kingsholm – Kick-off: 14.30; 14.30 GMT)
Gloucester's home defeat to Bath on Saturday in Premiership ended a three-game winning run in all tournaments.
Gloucester have lost three of their last four Premiership encounters at Kingsholm, the victory being over Leicester in Round Five.
Wasps have won their last three matches in all tournaments and have not won four in a row since the turn of the New Year.
Wasps record in Premiership this season is an unusual five wins from five at home and five losses from five away.
Wasps have won four of their last five encounters with Gloucester in Premiership, but their only victory in their last five visits to Kingsholm in all tournaments was 32-30 in Round Seven of last season's Premiership.
Teams:
Gloucester: TBC
Wasps: TBC
Referee: Dean Richards
Assistant referees: Gareth Copsey and Andy Watson
TMO: Graham Hughes
