Round 17 - Guiness Premiership |
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After the break last weekend for cup action, the Guinness Premiership is back underway for round 17 of the competition. With the Six Nations still ongoing, clubs will be without their international stars for the round of matches which begin on Friday night with Leeds trip to Leicester, Worcester’s clash with Wasps and a game that sees Saracens travel to Sale Sharks. Guinness Premiership Round 17 Fixtures Friday 10th March Leicester Tigers v Leeds Tykes (Welford Road, 7.45pm) Live on Sky Sports Leicester’s only win in their last five outings in all competitions was 28-22 at home to Worcester in the Guinness Premiership three weeks ago. The Tigers’ unbeaten run in the Premiership at Welford Road now stretches to 22 matches since Gloucester won there on 3 January 2004. Leeds, who have doubled their tally of league points in the last five matches, have won just one away game in the Premiership this season: 16-12 at Bath on 25 November. The two sides have met on nine previous occasions in the Premiership with Leicester just having the edge by five wins to four, including the first ever away victory in the series: 28-20 at Headingley on 25 September. Worcester Warriors v London Wasps (Sixways, 8pm) Worcester have managed just one victory from their past seven matches in the Guinness Premiership: 26-23 at Bristol on 27 January. At Sixways the Warriors have lost three in a row in the Premiership – their worst home run in the league since season 1988/89 when Worcester were playing in the Midlands 2 West league. London Wasps are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions, but the Londoners have yet to manage an away victory in 2006. There have been just three previous meetings between Worcester and Wasps with each game being won by the home side on the day, including a 34-20 Wasps win at Causeway Stadium on 25 September. Saturday 11th March Bath Rugby v Newcastle Falcons (The Rec, 2.15pm) Bath have won three of their last four matches in the Guinness Premiership, but at the Rec they have managed just one victory in their last four games in all competitions: 28-16 over Wasps on 28 January. Newcastle have also won three of their last four matches in the Premiership, and won four of their last five away from home in all competitions. Bath lead the countback of previous Premiership clashes against the Falcons by ten wins to seven including the 27-16 away victory at Kingston Park in round 4. Newcastle have won just twice at the Rec in ten previous visits in all competitions. Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby (Franklin’s Gardens, 3pm) Northampton’s five match unbeaten run in the Guinness Premiership came to an abrupt halt last time out with a 3-30 loss to London Irish at Madejski Stadium. However at Franklin’s Gardens the Saints have won their last five games in a row against Narbonne, Bristol (twice), Leeds and Saracens. Gloucester lost 15-18 at home to Bath in the last round but away from Kingsholm have won three in succession against Saracens, Bucharest and Newcastle. Gloucester have won three of their last four encounters with Northampton including a 28-24 win at Kingsholm on 24 September. Ludovic Mercier requires just two more points to become the first past the 200 point barrier in the Guinness Premiership this season, whilst Adam Balding has made 99 appearances in the Premiership (66 for Leicester and 33 for Gloucester). Sunday 12th March Bristol Rugby v London Irish (Memorial Stadium, 1pm) Bristol broke their duck in terms of wins in 2006 last time out at Watford with a 19-13 victory over Saracens. However Bristol have not won at Memorial Stadium since a 15-3 win over Leicester on 27 December. London Irish are the Guinness Premiership’s best away side having secured 23 league points from their eight trips so far. The Exiles have won five of their last six matches in all competitions since early January. Bristol’s only victory in their last 13 games in all competitions against London Irish since August 1996 was 28-26 at Memorial Stadium in the Premiership on 10 May 2000. |
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