Aviva Premiership preview: Harlequins v Northampton Saints
OK, so it’s early in the season and there’s still a lot of rugby to be played, but the significance of Northampton Saints’ win over Leicester Tigers last weekend shouldn’t be understated.
It’s not even a question over whether this makes them potential winners of the Aviva Premiership. They are. But Saturday’s match away at Harlequins will be a truer test of their resolve.
Quins impressed at Twickenham last Saturday against London Wasps. A 29-29 draw was probably a fair result on the balance of play, but it was Conor O’Shea’s side who enjoyed more of the ball.
The season before last year’s controversy, Harlequins were a formidable outfit at the Stoop, and their second match of the season against potential-champions Northampton this weekend should be a humdinger.
Meanwhile, the Tigers will be out for revenge and their first win of the campaign against newly-promoted Exeter Chiefs, who stunned Gloucester last weekend at Sandy Park.
Exeter may feel it’s the ideal time to play the reigning champions after their opponent’s weekend defeat, when in reality, it’s likely to be the worst time to meet Richard Cockerill’s side.
They’ll be baying for blood at their home fortress, Welford Road, and could rack up a huge scoreline on Saturday evening.
Also on Saturday, two play-off hopefuls will go head-to-head at the Recreation Ground. Bath and London Irish will both be vying for a place in the top four come the end of the season, but must first pit their wits against each other this weekend.
The two clubs currently sit first and second in the Premiership table after they both picked up bonus-point victories in their opening matches, and if last season’s matches between the two are anything to go by, this one should be enthralling. And the final match of Saturday afternoon sees Gloucester take on Leeds Carnegie at Kingsholm. The Cherry and Whites suffered embarrassment last weekend against Exeter and will be relieved to get back on home turf.
As for Leeds, their 32-16 home defeat against Bath did little to inspire much confidence, although they may still fancy their chances of getting their first points of the season from this weekend’s match.
Saracens and Sale Sharks contest Sunday’s only Premiership fixture at Vicarage Road. The Sarries were comfortably disposed of by the Exiles at HQ last Saturday, and will need to be far more organised to get their first points on the board.
They’ll be huge favourites going into this fixture against a club which came dangerously close to playing Championship rugby this season, but on the evidence of last week’s win over Newcastle Falcons, this summer’s wholesale changes at Sale might just result in dramatic improvements being made.
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