Bath Rugby vs Sale Sharks
Bath’s season has come off the rails somewhat, with three consecutive losses seeing them drop from second to fifth. There is a sense of symmetry to their game this weekend. It was around this time last year that they lost to Sale at home, a result that proved to many that they weren’t quite ready to consistently challenge at the upper end of the league. It makes the game this weekend the biggest of their season. Fail to win, and their losing run will move from being a concern to being a crisis. Win, and they can elevate themselves back to second, tucked in behind the Saints, where they have spent most of the season. The Sharks, of course, have their own play-off desires, last week’s comfortable loss to the Tigers a heavy setback. They welcome back Danny Cipriani to the starting line-up.
Bath simply have to win, and they’re a better team than they were this time last year. They’ll channel that pressure into something positive to gain a relatively comfortable victory. Bath by 6.
Exeter Chiefs vs London Welsh
After a tough couple of fixtures, including an away trip to Quins and a home battle with Bath, Exeter face the gimme of London Welsh at home this weekend. The Exiles have made 10 changes to the side that was thumped by their Irish counterparts last weekend, presumably to share the gametime around more than anything else. For Exeter, it is an excellent chance to continue their turn of good form and make it four wins in a row. For the likes of Henry Slade and Sam Hill, it is a further opportunity to prove they are the future of England’s midfield.
As always with London Welsh, it is not a case of whether they will lose, but rather by how many. Exeter by 48.
Harlequins vs London Irish
Harlequins, like Bath, are in something of a freefall, having lost their last three games. The difference is, their play-off ambitions are all but over with a 13 point gap separating them from Wasps in fourth place. Their priority now will be securing Champions Cup rugby next season, although they won’t be taking anything for granted this weekend – Irish are just seven points behind them in the table and have been playing with commendable abandon recently. Quins will be happy to have influential number eight Nick Easter back in the starting line-up, while out wide Marland Yarde and Charlie Walker both impressed in the loss to Northampton. For Irish, Shane Geraghty is handed the captain’s armband after George Skivington was ruled out with injury.
It should be an intriguing, hard-fought game at the Stoop, between two sides that are not afraid to give the ball some air. Home advantage to make the difference. Harlequins by 7.
Gloucester Rugby vs Northampton Saints
This game is normally hugely entertaining, and last season’s instalment at Kingsholm gave us one of the best tries seen anywhere in recent years, created by George North and finished by Jamie Elliot. Only the latter plays this weekend as the former is retained by Wales, but there is still plenty of firepower littered across the two back-lines. Intriguingly, Billy Twelvetrees has been released to play for Gloucester despite being named in the list of players retained by England earlier this week. He faces off against Tom Stephenson, a precociously talented young centre who could be snapping at Twelvetrees’ international heels in the near future. Tom Wood and Courtney Lawes also start, looking to press their claims for England inclusion against Scotland.
The Northampton juggernaut is showing no sign of slowing down, and even their depleted side should have enough to win at Kingsholm. Northampton by 4.
Wasps vs Saracens
Wasps, incredibly, have not beaten Saracens in the Premiership since 2008 when they tasted victory over them twice in a year. At the Ricoh Arena, where they are still yet to lose, they have their best chance in years to reverse that trend. The new midlands-dwellers are playing with immense confidence, and have lost just once in their last seven league games. With no Owen Farrell or Charlie Hodgson, Alex Goode takes the fly-half shirt for Saracens, a position which many feel is his best. Entertainingly, it sets up a Goode-off, with namesake Andy opposite him in Wasps colours. The Wasps pack will not wilt in the face of the Saracens challenge as it has done in recent times, and with their exciting set of backs they will not fear the side that sits two points above them but on equal points in the league.
Sarries’ form has been patchy recently and without Farrell or Hodgson, they will find it tough going at the Ricoh. Wasps by 5.
Newcastle Falcons vs Leicester Tigers
It has been a classic season from the Tigers so far. They have scored just 24 tries (the second fewest in the league, only six more than winless London Welsh) and yet they are just one point off second spot. True, they are in sixth, but to be so close to the play-offs (and even a potential home semi-final, which the rugby they have been playing really does not deserve) is to the immense credit of their wells of resolve, which run far deeper than other clubs. They’ve won five of their last six in the league but face a good acid test of their progress this weekend, against a Newcastle team who have been enjoying a real resurgence. The Tigers welcome back internationals Tom Youngs and Croft, the former of whom captains the side, while the Falcons name former Tigers armoured fighting vehicle winger Alesana Tuilagi on one flank. He’ll be hungry for ball against his old employers.
It is probably the most difficult game of the weekend to call. Looking at table position, the Tigers should win easily, but the Falcons have not made things easy for better teams this season, and Leicester do not enjoy playing on the artificial surfaces. I think they’ll still have enough to win – just. Leicester by 3.
| Hosie | Hutch | |
|---|---|---|
| BATvSAL | BAT by 6 | BAT by 3 |
| EXEvWEL | EXE by 48 | EXE by 43 |
| HARvIRI | HAR by 7 | HAR by 3 |
| GLOvNOR | NOR by 4 | NOR by 2 |
| WASvSAR | WAS by 5 | WAS by 3 |
| NEWvLEI | LEI by 3 | LEI by 6 |
How do you see the weekend going?
By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
4 replies on “Aviva Premiership 2014/2015: Round 17 Predictions”
I agree Bath are a better team than last year, but not when we’re missing Wilson, Attwood, Ford, Joseph, Watson and Agulla. That’s the reason for the recent dip in form (plus in-form Banners has been injured). This is going to be a tough game against full-strength Sale.
Should have written “it sets up A. Goode-off”
Wade needs capping now, that try was one of the best individual bits of skill I’ve seen all season. Good steal, good timing by Johnson to put Daly on the outside break but the finish was out of this world. What more does Lancaster want?
I’m a Wasps fan – but I’m still not sure I’d pick Wade for England.
Yes he can do some things with ball in hand that no one else can. But he also makes some unbelievable poor decisions. Yesterday in the second half he threw a ridiculous pass to Goode when tracking back to our own 5 meter line. At international level, you just can not get away with stuff like that.
All the time the likes of Watson have a more all round game (and can still do well in attack), they are rightly above him in the pecking order.
However, I would like to see him in and around the England set up more, learning from the coaches in order to improve, and his talent with ball in hand in unbelievable and not something that can be taught.