Gallagher Premiership round 14 previews
The long-awaited restart of the coronavirus-affected 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership season gets going this Friday in London, with other matches to follow across the weekend at Worcester, Exeter, Bath, Bristol and Northampton.
With 2019 champions Saracens already automatically relegated to the Championship for the 2020/21 season as punishment for repeated breaches of the top-flight salary cap, the emphasis over the remaining nine rounds of matches will be on the race for the play-offs and whether current leaders Exeter can be reeled in by the chasing pack.
A total of 57 matches – 54 regular-season games and three in the play-offs – will be played between now and October 24. Here is your guide to the first half-dozen fixtures:
Friday, August 14
Harlequins v Sale Sharks (Twickenham Stoop, 7:45pm)
Referee: Luke Pearce (98th Premiership game). Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson & Paul Dix. TMO: Rowan Kitt. Citing Officer: David Guyan.
Harlequins have won just twice in the last seven rounds of Gallagher Premiership Rugby: both at Twickenham Stoop, against Saracens on January 26 and Exeter on February 29. The Londoners have lost just twice at the venue in Premiership Rugby this season, to Worcester in round four and London Irish in round ten.
Sale Sharks’ only defeat in their last six Gallagher Premiership Rugby fixtures was 22-36 at Saracens on February 15. Sale have won three times on the road in the competition this campaign, at London Irish in round two, Exeter in round nine and Gloucester in round twelve.
Harlequins’ only victory in their last four encounters with Sale was 51-23 on the last occasion that the two locked horns at The Stoop in September 2018. The Sharks have won only once at Twickenham Stoop in Premiership Rugby since 2008: 16-12 in November 2014.
Straight in… no hanging about on the sidelines with Manu https://t.co/qXixwbVMFD
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 13, 2020
England wing Chris Ashton makes his debut against the club he left to join Harlequins. Full-back Mike Brown has recovered from a knee injury to make his first appearance since November. Centre Joe Marchant returns from his spell in Super Rugby.
Centre Manu Tuilagi makes his bow for Sale alongside fellow debutant Sam Hill. Faf de Klerk is present at scrum-half after overcoming the knee problem that has prevented him from playing since January. De Klerk’s fellow World Cup winner, Lood de Jager, makes his full debut at lock.
Saturday, August 15
Worcester Warriors v Gloucester Rugby (Sixways, 12:30pm)
Referee: Christophe Ridley (23rd Premiership game). Assistant Referees: Andrew Jackson & Wayne Falla. TMO: Keith Lewis. Citing Officer: John Byett
Worcester Warriors have lost their last six Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches since beating London Irish at Sixways on December 28. The Warriors have lost four in succession in all competitions at home but have not lost five in succession at the venue since early 2016.
Gloucester have lost their last five Gallagher Premiership fixtures but have not lost six in succession in the competition since 2012. Gloucester have lost their last nine away games in all tournaments since their 18-16 victory at Sale on the opening weekend of this season.
The last six fixtures between the two clubs have all been won by the home side on the day, while Gloucester have not been victorious at Sixways in the Premiership since May 2010.
Hopefully there has been more dialogue than suggested about this very important issue https://t.co/OwGDkrY7G5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 13, 2020
Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers (Sandy Park, 2pm)
Referee: Tom Foley (77th Premiership game). Assistant Referees: Greg Macdonald & Jonathan Healy. TMO: Stuart Terheege. Citing Officer: Buster White.
Exeter Chiefs have lost just once in the last four rounds of the Gallagher Premiership: 30-34 at Harlequins in round twelve. The Chiefs have been defeated just twice at Sandy Park in Premiership Rugby this season, by Bristol in round four and Sale in round nine.
Leicester Tigers’ last six matches in the Premiership have all been won by the home side on the day while Tigers’ only away victory in the Premiership since October 2018 was at Newcastle in April 2019.
Exeter have won their last four encounters with Leicester in the Premiership. Tigers’ most recent victory at Sandy Park was 24-20 in September 2014.
Thinking big ahead of the restarthttps://t.co/s7sBoeO4tH
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 12, 2020
Bath Rugby v London Irish (Recreation Ground, 3pm)
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (74th Premiership game). Assistant Referees: Robert Warburton & Phil Watters. TMO: David Grashoff. Citing Officer: Brian Campsall.
Bath have lost their last two Gallagher Premiership matches since beating Harlequins at the Recreation Ground on February 22. Bath have lost twice at home in the Premiership this season, to Saracens in round five and Bristol in round twelve.
London Irish have lost their last two Gallagher Premiership encounters since beating Gloucester at Madejski Stadium on February 22. The Exiles have won three times on the road this season in the Premiership, at Wasps in round one, at Northampton in round nine and at Harlequins in round ten.
Bath’s only defeat to London Irish in any competition in the last decade was 22-29 at Reading in September 2012, while London Irish’s last success at the Recreation Ground came with a 16-0 victory in the Premiership in November 2009.
Eddie must have taught them all well on how to be boss… first Gustard, next Borthwick and now Hatley https://t.co/L99miUTJ9T
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 13, 2020
Bristol Bears v Saracens (Ashton Gate, 4:30pm)
Referee: Matthew Carley (93rd Premiership game). Assistant Referees: Adam Leal & Jack Makepeace. TMO: Claire Hodnett. Citing Officer: Duncan Bell.
Bristol Bears have won their last five Gallagher Premiership fixtures, their best ever winning run in the history of the competition. Bristol have lost just one of their last 14 home games in all competitions: 21-26 to Wasps in round seven.
Saracens’ only defeat in the last four rounds was 10-60 at Wasps on February 21. Saracens’ 27-21 victory at Northampton in their most recent away game ended a three-game losing run on the road in Premiership Rugby. Bristol’s only victory over Saracens in the Premiership since 2008 was 23-21 at Ashton Gate in April 2019.
'We have the best training centre in the country and that is not bragging, that is just factual'@BristolBears CEO Mark Tainton on their new training centre, ring-fencing, Lam, Radradra & how a clean-out of players in 2017 was needed, writes @heagneyl https://t.co/fsHrkGupXc
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 12, 2020
Sunday, August 16
Northampton Saints v Wasps (Franklin’s Gardens, 3pm)
Referee: Karl Dickson (26th Premiership game). Assistant Referees: Anthony Woodthorpe & Hamish Smales. TMO: Graham Hughes. Citing Officer: Danae Zamboulis.
Northampton Saints’ four-game losing run in the Premiership ended with their 16-10 victory at Worcester Warriors in round 13. The Saints have lost their last three encounters at Franklin’s Gardens but have not lost four in succession in Premiership Rugby at the famous old venue since 2006/07.
Wasps’ only defeat in the last five rounds of the Premiership was 9-18 at Leicester on February 15 – that was Wasps’ only away defeat in any competition since early December.
Northampton have won two of their last three Premiership fixtures against Wasps immediately following a run of six successive defeats stretching back to 2015. Wasps’ only victory at Franklin’s Gardens in the last five years was 36-17 in November 2018.
'As a black player, you get pigeon-holed. You’re either an athlete and you’ll get stuck on the wing or he’s big, let’s stick him in the second row' @Harlequins wing @natenate174 talks about gaining coaches' trust, his ACL, BLM & more, with @heagneyl 👨💻https://t.co/qxaJxTQeXM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 2, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments