Aviva Premiership: Weekend Preview

Friday 24 February

Harlequins v Leicester Tigers (Twickenham Stoop, 7.45pm) BT Sport 2
Referee: Dean Richards

Harlequins are one of only two sides with a 100% home winning record in Aviva Premiership Rugby this season, however the Londoners have lost their last two matches at Twickenham Stoop in other tournaments, to Edinburgh (Challenge Cup) and to Sale Sharks (Anglo-Welsh).

The Tigers beat Harlequins at Welford Road in R8 and have not achieved a Premiership Rugby season double over them since 2010-11. Leicester have lost on their last five visits to Twickenham Stoop in all tournaments.

Saturday 25 February

Saracens v Sale Sharks (Allianz Park, 2.45pm)
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Saracens are without a win in their last three Aviva Premiership Rugby fixtures and have not gone four in a row without victory in the competition since 2006. Saracens are unbeaten in their last 17 home games in all tournaments since Northampton won at Allianz Park in Premiership Rugby last March.

Sale Sharks have won their last five matches in all competitions including their victory over table topping Wasps on Sunday. The Sharks only away win in Aviva Premiership Rugby this season was on a visit to Bristol in round 7.

Northampton Saints v Worcester Warriors (Franklin’s Gardens, 3pm)
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

The Saints have won their last four home games since the reversal to Leinster in the European Champions Cup on 9 December.

Worcester Warriors have won only three games of Aviva Premiership Rugby this season but two of those have come since the turn of the New Year. The Warriors have not been victories on their travels in Premiership Rugby since they visited Harlequins in March 2016.

Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons (Sandy Park, 3pm)
Referee: Ian Tempest

Exeter Chiefs only defeat in their last ten first team matches was at Clermont-Auvergne in the European Champions Cup on 21st January whilst their most recent loss in Aviva Premiership Rugby was in round 7 at home to Bath.

Newcastle Falcons have won three of their last four matches in all competitions and in Aviva Premiership Rugby have tallied four try bonus points in the last six rounds.

Sunday 26 February

Wasps v Gloucester Rugby (Ricoh Arena, 1pm)
Referee: Andrew Jackson

Wasps have won their last 14 Aviva Premiership Rugby encounters at Ricoh Arena since Saracens won there at Christmas 2015.

Gloucester Rugby’s only defeat in their last seven first team fixtures was 9-34 at Leicester in round 14 of Aviva Premiership Rugby. Gloucester have lost their last four away games in the competition since their 27-all draw at Exeter on 8 October.

Gloucester have won their last two fixtures against Wasps but both encounters were played at Kingsholm. Gloucester have not beaten Wasps on their own soil since doing so by a single point at Adams Park in February 2011.

Bristol Rugby v Bath Rugby (Ashton Gate, 1pm) Live on BT Sport 1
Referee: Greg Garner

Bristol Rugby’s only two victories in Aviva Premiership Rugby this season came in successive matches, against Worcester and Sale over Christmas last year. Bristol’s last two home wins in Premiership Rugby have both been against Worcester, seven years apart.

Bath Rugby have lost just one of their last six first team fixtures and that by the narrowest of margins at Newcastle in the Anglo-Welsh Cup earlier this month. Bath have lost their last three away games in Aviva Premiership Rugby since their victory at Exeter in round 7.

Bath have won their last eight fixtures with Bristol, in all competitions since Bristol’s 16-6 victory at Ashton Gate in Premiership Rugby in December 2006.