Preview: Premiership, Round five
QUARTER-MILE: Almost one quarter of the way through the season and this weekend produces another compelling round of Premiership Rugby.
The weekend kicks off with at Kingston Park, where Dai Young’s Wasps are the visitors against the Newcastle Falcons.
Young made six changes to his starting XV.
New signing Ben Morris replaces Nathan Hughes, who is named among the replacements alongside Elliot Daly and Dan Robson, the trio having been involved in England’s training camp this week. Morris joins captain Ashley Johnson and Nizaam Carr, who moves to number eight, in the back row.
Simpson swaps in for Robson, to form the half-back partnership with Lima Sopoaga. Outside them Juan De Jongh replaces Daly, having passed his HIA protocols, to partner Michael Le Bourgeois in the centres.
Watson returns from illness last week to replace Christian Wade on the wing and is joined in the back three by Josh Bassett and Rob Miller, replacing Willie Le Roux who is on Springbok duty.
Tom Cruse rotates with Tommy Taylor and is joined by an unchanged prop pairing of Zurabi Zhvania and Will Stuart in the front row. Behind them Will Rowlands and James Gaskell form the lock partnership for the second week in a row.
Daly, Hughes and Robson are joined on a powerful bench by Taylor, Ben Harris, Kieran Brookes, Kearnan Myall and Billy Searle.
Director of Rugby Dai Young said:
“Defensively Newcastle take a lot of breaking down. We will need to keep the ball for multiple phases. They don’t get broke much off first phase, you’ve got to look after the ball.
“Set-piece wise we will be tested. They’ve got a lot of the old Leicester tradition in Newcastle, but the way they play the game is exciting as well. They play the ball with real width moving it from one touchline to another looking for opportunities.
“They’ve certainly got some real weapons out wide. We know it’s going to be a tough game. They’ve played all the big boys and I think they’ve been a bit unlucky, they’ve pushed them close, we know it’s going to be a tough match for us.
“It’s two back-to-back six-day turnarounds with a travel day thrown in there which isn’t easy. But if we play the way we know we can play, there’s no reason why we can’t come away with a result which would be fantastic for us to get,”
All the action of Round five!
Friday, September 28
Newcastle Falcons v Wasps
(Kingston Park, 19.45)
Newcastle Falcons have won just one of their last six Premiership Rugby matches. Newcastle have lost their last three matches at Kingston Park since beating Sale there on 13th April.
Wasps only defeat so far this season was at home to Exeter in round 2 whilst their only defeat away from home since April was in last season’s semi-final at Saracens.
Wasps are unbeaten in their last ten fixtures with Falcons in Gallagher Premiership Rugby since May 2012, a sequence which includes one draw at Kingston Park in February 2015.
Teams:
Newcastle: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Mark Wilson, 7 Will Welch (captain), 6 Gary Graham, 5 Tevita Cavubati, 4 Calum Green, 3 Logovi’i Mulipola, 2 George McGuigan, 1 Adam Brocklebank
Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Sami Mavinga, 18 Paul Mullen, 19 Will Witty, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Tom Penny
Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Marcus Watson, 13 Juan De Jongh, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Joe Simpson, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Ben Morris, 6 Ashley Johnson (captain), 5 James Gaskell, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tom Cruse, 1 Zurabi Zhvania
Replacements: 16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Elliot Daly
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant Referees: Peter Allan & Hamish Smales.
TMO: Sean Davey.
Saturday, September 29
Bristol Bears v Northampton Saints
(Ashton Gate, 15.00)
Bristol Bears four games i Premiership Rugby this season have all been won by the home side on the day. The Bears have not lost at Ashton Gate since Jersey were the visitors in the Championship last March.
Northampton Saints solitary victory in the first four rounds was 25-18 at home to Harlequins on 7 September. The Saints most recent away win in Premiership Rugby was 27-21 at Leicester on 14 April.
Northampton have won their last five matches against Bristol in all tournaments since the Bears 14-13 victory at Memorial Stadium in the Premiership in November 2008
Teams:
Bristol: 15 Piers O’Conor, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Siale Piutau, 11 Alapati Leiua, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Jack Lam, 7 George Smith, 6 Steve Luatua (captain), 5 Joe Latta, 4 Ed Holmes, 3 John Afoa, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Yann Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Nick Fenton-Wells, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Jake Armstrong, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Nick Haining, 21 Nic Stirzaker, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Zane Kirchner.
Northampton: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Tom Collins, 13 Luther Burrell, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Lewis Ludlam, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Ehren Painter, 2 Dylan Hartley (co-captain), 1 Alex Waller (co-captain).
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Francois Van Wyk, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 Mitch Eadie, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Andrew Kellaway 23 Harry Mallinder.
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant Referees: Dean Richards & Jonathan Healy.
TMO: Trevor Fisher.
Exeter Chiefs v Worcester Warriors
(Sandy Park, 15.00)
Exeter Chiefs have not lost a regular season Gallagher Premiership Rugby match since round 15 last year on a visit to Wasps. The Chiefs have won their last eight home games at Sandy Park in all tournaments since Worcester beat them there 6-5 on 10 February.
Worcester Warriors ended a four-game losing streak in Gallagher Premiership Rugby with their second successive victory at Leicester’s Welford Road ground at the weekend. The Warriors have not won back-to-back away games in the competition since beating Newcastle and Harlequins in March 2016.
The Warriors have won their last two matches against the Chiefs, 31-21 in the Anglo-Welsh Cup at Sixways in January (the only defeat Chiefs suffered last year in that competition) and the Premiership win at Sandy Park two weeks later.
Teams:
Exeter: 15 Santiago Cordero, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Alex Cuthbert, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Jack Maunder, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Dave Dennis, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Sean Lonsdale, 21 Stu Townsend, 22 Joe Simmonds, 23 Sam Hill.
Worcester: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ashley Beck, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Jono Lance, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 GJ van Velze (captain), 7 Marco Mama, 6 Ted Hill, 5 Darren Barry, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Gareth Milasinovich, 2 Jack Singleton, 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Joe Taufete’e, 17 Ryan Bower, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Matt Cox, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Ollie Lawrence.
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Matthew O’Grady & Robert Warburton.
TMO: Claire Hodnett.
Gloucester Rugby v Harlequins
(Kingsholm, 15.00)
Gloucester Rugby suffered a first reversal of the new Gallagher Premiership campaign on Sunday at Saracens. Gloucester’s only defeat in their last five matches at Kingsholm in all tournaments was to Bath in round 21 of Premiership Rugby last season.
Harlequins have won just once in Gallagher Premiership Rugby since round 17 last season, 51-23 at home to Sale in round 1. The Londoners have lost their last eleven away games in the tournament since beating Wasps at the Ricoh Arena twelve months ago, representing their worst run on their travels since 2000.
Each side won its respective home game when they met in Premiership Rugby last season whilst ‘Quins have won on two of their last four visits to Kingsholm in the tournament.
Teams:
Gloucester: 15 Tom Hudson, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Henry Trinder, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Jake Polledri, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Ed Slater (captain), 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 James Hanson, 1 Josh Hohneck.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Alex Seville, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Freddie Clarke, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Billy Twelvetrees, 23 Jason Woodward.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Nathan Earle, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Tim Visser, 10 James Lang, 9 Danny Care, 8 James Chisholm, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Renaldo Bothma, 5 James Horwill (captain) 4 Matt Symons, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Max Crumpton, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Dave Ward, 17 Lewis Boyce, 18 Will Collier, 19 Stan South, 20 Semi Kunatani, 21 Charlie Mulchrone, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Aaron Morris.
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant Referees: Steve Lee & Simon McConnell.
TMO: Keith Lewis.
Saracens v Bath Rugby
(Allianz Park, 15.00)
Saracens became the first ever club to secure maximum league points from their first four matches of a new Gallagher Premiership Rugby campaign in beating Gloucester on Sunday. Saracens have lost just twice at Allianz Park in Premiership Rugby since March 2016 – to Exeter in November 2017 and Leicester in February 2018.
Bath Rugby have lost just one of their last six Gallagher Premiership Rugby fixtures: 10-17 at Bristol on the opening weekend. Bath have won two of their last three away games, at Gloucester and Harlequins.
The last five encounters between the two clubs have been won by the home side on the day whilst Bath have not won on Saracens turf since a trip to Vicarage Road in February 2010.
Teams:
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Jackson Wray, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Titi Lamositele, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Christian Judge, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 Alex Lewington.
Bath: 15 Darren Atkins, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Max Clark, 12 Max Wright, 11 Tom Homer, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Paul Grant, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Josh Bayliss, 5 Elliott Stooke, 4 Charlie Ewels (captain), 3 Anthony Perenise, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Lucas Noguera, 18 Victor Delmas, 19 Levi Douglas, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Max Green, 22 Freddie Burns, 23 Jackson Willison.
Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant Referees: Roy Maybank & Anthony Woodthorpe.
TMO: Geoff Warren.
Sunday, September 30
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
(Welford Road, 15.00)
Leicester Tigers only victory so far this season was 49-33 at home to Newcastle three weeks ago. The Tigers have lost three of their last four matches at Welford Road.
Sale Sharks solitary victory in Gallagher Premiership Rugby since round 19 last season was at home to Worcester on 9 September. Sale have not won away from home in Premiership Rugby since a visit to Northampton on 3 March.
The Tigers have won their last three matches against the Sharks whilst Sale’s only victory at Welford Road since February 2008 was 10-3 in February 2016.
Teams:
Leicester: 15 Jordan Olowofela, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Gareth Owen, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben White, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Guy Thompson, 6 David Denton, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Mike Williams, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Greg Bateman.
Replacements: 16 Ross McMillan, 17 David Feao, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Valentino Mapapalangi, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Tom Hardwick, 23 Jonah Holmes.
Sale: 15 Byron McGuigan, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Sam James, 12 Mark Jennings, 11 Marland Yarde, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Jono Ross (captain), 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Ross Harrison.
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Alexandru Tarus, 18 Joe Jones, 19 James Phillips, 20 Josh Beaumont, 21 Ben Curry, 22 Gus Warr, 23 Rohan Janse Van Rensburg.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant Referees: Adam Leal & Paul Dix.
TMO: Stuart Terheege.
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