Aviva Premiership preview: Northampton Saints v Bath Rugby
The only two Premiership clubs left with a 100 per cent record, Northampton Saints and Bath, go head-to-head at Franklin’s Gardens this evening.
This mouth-watering tie has been timed to perfection by the fixture generator with Bath currently top of the table and Northampton just a point behind in second.
Jim Mallinder’s side have continued from where they left off last season with two wins from their opening two matches against tricky opposition – most notably Leicester Tigers on the opening weekend of the season.
Bath may not have faced anyone of the calibre of the Tigers just yet, but they’ve managed to see off Leeds Carnegie and London Irish with relative comfort, and duly picked up an extra bonus-point against the Headingley outfit.
Northampton will go into Friday night’s match as slight favourites despite the fact they’ve only won one of their last five encounters against Bath. The past 12 months have shown just how capable the Saints are at picking up points these days – particularly at home – and the start of the new season has offered several indicators that it should be another memorable campaign.
Bath haven’t started a season with three consecutive victories for seven years and it looks unlikely that trend will be bucked at Franklin’s Gardens. Especially as it’s now more than 10 years since the club from the Recreation Ground last beat Northampton at the Saints’ home ground.
Nevertheless, Steve Meehan’s side’s strong start to the season means they shouldn’t be underestimated. Like their opponents, they have momentum, and this promises to make the match a hugely entertaining spectacle for the estimated 13,000-strong crowd.
Meanwhile, Sale Sharks and Harlequins will battle it out at Edgeley Park on Friday night.
Sale have started the season in fine fettle after last season’s major scare – they only survived relegation thanks to the dire form of Worcester Warriors. As for Harlequins, the Bloodgate fallout has once again raised its ugly head this week, with physiotherapist Steph Brennan being struck off because of his role in the scandal.
Quins are still looking for their first win of the campaign after being held at Twickenham by London Wasps in the season opener, and then suffering defeat against Northampton last Saturday. The pressure is on for Conor O’Shea to record an important win for the club, but their record suggests they’ll be in store for another tough evening.
Harlequins have not won away in the Premiership in 2010, and have won just once at Edgeley Park in the last seven previous meetings there.
Sale, though, will need to bounce back from their 28-13 defeat against Saracens last weekend.
Predictions: Northampton to beat Bath, Harlequins to beat Sale.
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