Preview: Premiership, Round 16

Back-to-back defeats to Wasps and Sale Sharks mean Harlequins have now lost four of their last five matches, form which has seen them slip back to eighth in the Premiership standings.

But a home clash with Bath, who despite reaching last season's final sit directly below them, offers the London side a chance to regroup and wrest back the momentum heading into the business end of the season.

And with a packed house expected at the Twickenham Stoop for a game under the lights, Collier is desperate not to let the opportunity pass them by.

"We can't wait to get back out at the Stoop," he said. "It is going to be brilliant and hopefully we can get back to building some momentum.

"They haven't quite been clicking in terms of results but they are a great team and, like everyone in this league, they can have their day.

"We have got a great history against Bath and some great rivalries. We are just hoping we can call on the Stoop crowd on Friday night to create some Friday night energy and help us get the win.

"They have got some real strength in depth, with two international tightheads and some great young looseheads like Max Lahiff and Nick Auterac. We have a lot of respect for them."

Harlequins beat Bath 38-28 at the Recreation Ground in Round Three and have not achieved an Premiership double over them since the 2011/12 season. 

Bath however have a fine record at the Twickenham Stoop, having triumphed on their last two visits in all tournaments, but since Bath last visited in Round 21 last year Harlequins have been beaten just once there in any competition.

Bath's away form has deserted them this season though, and with just two wins on the road against London Irish and Worcester Warriors, fullback Tom Homer knows that has to improve if they are to achieve their potential this season.

"We take it each game as it comes and Quins are next on the list," said Homer. "But of course we're aiming for that top six and Champions Cup rugby, and we know we've got players in our squad who are among the best in European rugby. It would be great to finish in the top half.

"It's usually very close when we play at the Stoop and they play an expansive brand of rugby, and as we like to play with ball in hand too, I'm sure it will be an exciting one to watch."

We take a look at all the Round 16 action!

Friday:

Harlequins v Bath

(Twickenham Stoop – Kick-off: 19.45; 19.45 GMT)

Bath picked up only their second victory since the New Year in beating London Irish at the Recreation Ground on Saturday. Bath's only away win in the Premiership since their victory at London Irish in November came on a trip to Worcester on February 13.

Harlequins beat Bath 38-28 at the Recreation Ground in Round Three and have not achieved a Premiership double over them since season 2011/12. Bath have won on their last two visits to Twickenham Stoop in all tournaments.

Teams:

Harlequins: 15 Ross Chisholm, 14 Charlie Walker, 13 George Lowe, 12 Harry Sloan, 11 Henry Cheeseman, 10 Ben Botica, 9 Karl Dickson, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Mat Luamanu, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 George Merrick, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Dave Ward, 1 Mark Lambert.

Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Will Collier, 19 Sam Twomey, 20 James Chisholm, 21 Tito Tebaldi, 22 Joe Marchant, 23 Ollie Lindsay-Hague.

Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Matt Banahan, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Ollie Devoto, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Francois Louw (captain), 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Charlie Ewels, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Max Lahiff.

Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 David Wilson, 19 Leroy Houston, 20 Guy Mercer, 21 Jonathan Evans, 22 Max Clark, 23 Jeff Williams.

Referee: Dean Richards

Assistant Referees: Andy Watson, Nigel Carrick

TMO: Sean Davey

Saturday:

Wasps v Leicester Tigers

(Ricoh Arena – Kick-off: 13.45; 13.45 GMT)

Leicester Tigers have secured successive maximum point wins, the first time they have achieved this since the end of the 2013/14 season. 

Away from home the Tigers only victory so far in 2016 came when they visited Gloucester on January 30 and won 19-18. Leicester have won their last four encounters with Wasps since their 22-12 defeat at Adams Park in the Premiership in October 2013.

Teams:

Wasps: 15 Rob Miller,14 Christian Wade, 13 Charles Piutau, 12 Siale Piutau, 11Frank Halai, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Sam Jones, 7 George Smith, 6 Thomas Young, 5 Kearnan Myall, 4 James Cannon, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Ashley Johnson, 1 Simon McIntyre.

Replacements: 16 Edd Shervington, 17 Matt Mullan,18 Phil Swainston, 19 Will Rowlands, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Jamie Stevenson, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 Brendan Macken.

Leicester Tigers: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Peter Betham, 12 Matt Smith, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Jono Kitto, 8 Ed Slater, 7 Lachlan McCaffrey, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Dom Barrow, 4 Mike Fitzgerald, 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Marcos Ayerza.

Replacements: 16 Michael Van Vuuren, 17 Ellis Genge,18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Graham Kitchener, 20 Mike Williams, 21 George Tresidder, 22 Owen Williams, 23 Telusa Veainu.

Referee: Gregory Garner

Assistant referees: Ashley Rowden Paul Barton

TMO: Trevor Fisher

Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks

(Franklin's Gardens – Kick-off: 14.00; 14.00 GMT)

Sale Sharks' only defeat in any tournament so far in 2016 came when they visited Worcester in the Premiership on February 20. The Sharks have won only once away from home in the tournament since RFound 14 last season: 10-3 at Leicester on February 6.

The last six meetings between the two clubs in the Premiership have all gone the way of the home team on the day whilst Sale have not been victorious at Franklin's Gardens since their visit in May 2006.

Teams:

Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Tom Collins, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson (captain), 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Christian Day, 4 James Craig, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Ethan Waller.

Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Jon Fisher, 21 Kahn Fotuali’i, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Harry Mallinder.

Sale Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Tom Arscott, 13 Sam James, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Will Addison, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 TJ Ioane 7 David Seymour, 6 Cameron Neild, 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Ross Harrison.

Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Eifion Lewis Roberts, 18 Brian Mujati, 19 Jonathan Mills, 20 Magnus Lund, 21 Chris Cusiter, 22 Joe Ford, 23 Mark Jennings.

Referee: JP Doyle

Assistant referees: Robin Goodliffe, Roger Baileff

TMO: David Sainsbury

Worcester Warriors v Gloucester

(Sixways – Kick-off: 14.00; 14.00 GMT)

Gloucester's only reversal in their last five Premiership encounters was 12-25 at table-topping Saracens in Round 13. The Cherry & Whites have won just once on the road in the competition since the opening round: 15-11 at Bath on February 5.  

The two clubs have already met on three occasions this season (twice in the European Challenge Cup) with Gloucester victorious on each occasion. The Warriors only victory over Gloucester in their last seven fixtures in all competitions was by a single point at Sixways in the Premiership in May 2014.

Teams:

Worcester Warriors: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 GJ van Velze (captain), 7 Carl Kirwan, 6 Phil Dowson, 5 Darren Barry, 4 Donncha O’Callaghan, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Val Rapava Ruskin.

Replacements: 16 Ben Sowrey, 17 Na’ama Leleimalefaga, 18 James Johnston, 19 Dan Sanderson, 20 Sam Betty, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Andy Symons.

Gloucester: 15 Rob Cook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Bill Meakes, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (captain), 11 David Halaifonua, 10 James Hook, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 5 Jeremy Thrush, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Nick Wood.

Replacements:16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Paul Doran-Jones, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Lewis Ludlow, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Henry Trinder, 23 Steve McColl.

Referee: Ian Tempest

Assistant referees: Peter Allan, John Meredith

TMO: Rowan Kitt

Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons

(Sandy Park – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)

Newcastle Falcons have slipped to successive defeats, at Gloucester and at home to Worcester. Falcons, along with London Irish are the only side yet to have won on the road in the Premiership this season.

The two clubs have met on nine previous occasions in the Premiership with Newcastle's only victory being 29-24 at Kingston Park in October 2014. The Falcons have been defeated in all six previous visits to Sandy Park in all tournaments.

Teams:

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Ian Whitten, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Will Chudley, 

8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Don Armand, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Lewis Stevenson, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Ben Moon.

Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione 17 Alec Hepburn 18 Carl Rimmer 19 Ollie Atkins 20 Dave Ewers 21 Dave Lewis 22 Will Hooley 23 Max Bodilly.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Giamba Venditti, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Nili Latu, 7 Will Welch, 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Callum Green, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Mike Cusack, 2 George McGuigan, 1 Alex Rogers.

Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 19 Richard Mayhew, 20 Ally Hogg, 21 Michael Young, 22 Andy Goode, 23 Tom Penny.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Assistant referees: Simon McConnell, Kelvin Stewart

TMO: David Rose

London Irish v Saracens

(Red Bull Arena – Kick-off: 15.00 EST; 20.00 UK time; 20.00 GMT)

The Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, USA, becomes the 35th different venue to host a Premiership encounter, and the first outside of England. London Irish have lost their last four fixtures since beating Worcester 20-13 at Madejski Stadium in February. 

Despite the fact that London Irish are in 12th spot in the table, they have scored at least one try in first team game they have played over the past twelve months.

Teams:

London Irish: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Topsy Ojo, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Scott Steele, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Luke Narraway (captain), 5 Elliott Stooke, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 Tom Cruse, 1 Tom Smallbone.

Replacements: 16 Gerard Ellis, 17 Tom Court, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Will Lloyd, 20 Joe Trayfoot, 21 Darren Allinson, 22 Theo Brophy Clews, 23 Fergus Mulchrone.

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 4 Mike Ellery, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Nils Mordt, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Jacques Burger, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Hayden Smith, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Jared Saunders, 1 Richard Barrington.

Replacements: 16 David Porecki, 17 Titi Lamositele, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 Alistair Hargreaves, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Neil De Kock, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 Ben Ransom.

Referee: Luke Pearce

Assistant referees: Tim Wigglesworth, Ross Campbell

TMO: David Grashoff

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