There's another feast of Gallagher Premiership action being served up this coming weekend and there are certainly some tasty offerings with highlights including clashes between Leicester and Sale as well as Exeter and Wasps.
Friday 22 October
Northampton 1/12 | Draw 33/1 | Worcester 7/1 (20:45)
We kick things off at Franklin’s Gardens where fifth-place Northampton will welcome 11th-place Worcester.
The hosts have enjoyed a very tidy start to the campaign winning three of their opening four fixtures while only tasting defeat once. That defeat came the last time they took to the field, however, as they went down 26-10 to Wasps away from home. They enjoyed a bye week this past weekend so should be raring to go come Friday evening.
Worcester have had a far more rocky start but winning just five of their fixtures. They have the joint-worst points differential at the moment and head into the clash off the back of a heavy 3-48 defeat against the league-leading Leicester Tigers.
Verdict: Northampton 1/12
The Saints are yet to really run away with a game this term and have only picked up one try-scoring bonus point thus far. I reckon they’ll claim their second one this coming weekend, however.
Saturday 23 October
Gloucester 4/10 | Draw 40/1 | Newcastle 43/20 (16:00)
Next up we’ve got a very hit and miss Gloucester side taking on the Newcastle Falcons.
The hosts have lost two and won two while they drew with London Irish this past weekend in a game they were largely expected to win. They boast a load of talent in their squad but have yet to translate that flair into consistent results.
Newcastle have enjoyed a slightly better start to the campaign winning three of their opening five games. One of the victories came last weekend where they beat a struggling Bristol side 13-5.
Verdict: Gloucester 4/10
The Cherry and Whites seem a far better outfit at home, which is why I’m on the Gloucester win here.
Leicester 37/100 | Draw 21/1 | Sale 23/10 (16:00)
We remain in the East Midlands for our next fixture which will see the log-leading Leicester square up against seventh-placed Sale.
The hosts have been on fire since the start of the new campaign and are the only unbeaten side remaining in the Premiership with a seven-point lead over Harlequins. They put in an almighty shift last weekend as well, hammering the Worcester Warriors 3-48 at Sixways Stadium.
While Sale have been less prolific than their opponents, they have enjoyed a decent start nonetheless winning two, losing two and drawing one of their first five. They gave a solid account of themselves last weekend as they beat a bang in form Harlequins outfit 28-22.
Verdict: Leicester 37/100
The Tigers have been different gravy this season and should be backed with confidence here.
Exeter 1/20 | Draw 40/1 | London Irish 17/2
The Exeter Chiefs will be looking for their fourth win on the trot when they take on a London Irish side that has a weird penchant for drawing fixtures.
After a sloppy start to the campaign, the hosts are starting to find their feet. And while their 23-27 win over Wasps this past weekend was far from vintage, they did give a decent account of themselves and showed that fighting spirit that has made them such a force in the Premiership over the past half-decade or so.
As touched on earlier, Irish are the draw masters having drawn two of their first five fixtures while losing the other three. One of the aforementioned stalemates came last weekend where against Gloucester.
Verdict: Exeter 1/20
Irish are there for the taking and I reckon the Chiefs are going to give them a real rugby lesson this Saturday.
Harlequins 1/14 | Draw 40/1 | Bath 15/2
Our next fixture sees a faltering Bath side make the short trip to London to take on high-flying Harlequins.
The visitors have had a torrid start to the campaign losing their opening four fixtures. To make matters worse they head into Saturday’s fixture off the back of one of their worst defeats in recent memory, a 17-71 home loss against Saracens.
Quins also tasted defeat last weekend as they went down 28-22 to Sale. This was their first loss of the season, however, and they still sit pretty in second place on the Premiership standings.
Verdict: Harlequins 1/14
Bath were absolutely dire last weekend and I cannot see them turning things around against the reigning champions.
Sunday 24 October
Saracens 1/25 | Draw 33/1 | Wasps 10/1
The weekend comes to a close in North London where Saracens and Wasps will square off at the StoneX Stadium. Both sides are producing some good attacking rugby at the minute so this one should be a real cracker.
Round 5 saw Saracens at their clinical best as they tore Bath to shreds at the Rec notching up an impressive 71 points. Seemingly forgotten England man and Saracens hooker Jamie Geoge had an absolute blinder of a game and off the back of it, has been recalled to the England squad.
Unlike Saracens, Wasps were unable to register a win last weekend as they went down 23-27 to the Exeter Chiefs in an extremely tumultuous game which saw a sideline scuffle that has led to coaches Scott Barrow and Pete Atkinson being cited.
Verdict: Saracens 1/25
Last week will have done Saracens the world of good and they will be extremely confident heading into this one. While I can see Wasps offering stiffer opposition than Bath did last week, I feel Saracens will be too good.
