Friday night under the lights at Franklin’s Gardens, it doesn’t get much better than that, especially as there are still enough internationals on show to make it a game worthy of the occasion.
Saints can be thankful that they can still call upon Test-match quality performers like Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, and Rory Hutchinson in a backline that screams attacking rugby.
And with Alex Mitchell, George Furbank, and Matt Proctor in reserve, they have plenty of firepower to unleash off the bench.
Saints certainly look to have the stronger of the two benches, and given what has happened before this season, the game could really spring to life in the final quarter.
Saints have scored 21 of their 32 tries in the second half but have also conceded a much higher percentage in the second 40 (12/23), so the even money Paddy Power are offering for the second half to be the highest scoring half of the match has definite appeal.
Chiefs, who field a strong-looking starting XV, edged the contest on their last two visits to the east Midlands, with both games producing an aggregate of 65 points, and this could easily be another try-fest.
Backing the Chiefs to have their noses in front at half-time and for Saints to come surging back to take the win and land an 11/2 EXETER-NORTHAMPTON double result bet has some merit.
Northampton 30 Exeter 26 (Saints by 4)
In Saturday’s lunchtime clash, Gloucester appear to be there for the taking.
International call-ups have ripped out the spine of their backline and it could be just the game for Sale to get back to winning ways after defeats to Quins and Sarries.
To be able to put Raffi Quirke and Bevan Rodd on the bench, shows the strength in depth that the Sharks have got.
Typically the winning margins in games between these two are tight but this one could be a two to three-score game, in favour of the home side.
Sale 32 Gloucester 14 (Sale by 18)
Newcastle are stripped of their Argentinian contingent and that makes them significantly weaker. However, Bath’s XV also has a makeshift feel and the likelihood is that both sides will look to their maul as a go-to source of points.
George McGuigan has backed up last season’s try-scoring exploits but has to settle for a place on the bench with Jamie Blamire preferred to start instead.
McGuigan’s tally of of five tries is matched by Bath’s Tom Dunn, and his deputy Niall Annett has four so, by hook or by crook, this game is likely to be won and lost in the tight exchanges.
With Newcastle arguably the more disrupted of the two teams in terms of selection, we think Bath might just edge it, as they did back in February, 30-25.
Newcastle 20 Bath 24 (Bath by 4)
In the final match of the weekend, we’re all over Sarries doing a number on an out-of-sorts Bristol.
Sarries’ second-string players look far more adept at getting a result than Bristol’s and it is hard to see them getting anything but five points from the game.
Bristol’s defence has been porous as it is but when you factor in the different combinations to the backline as well, then it could be a tough day at the office.
Bristol 14 Sarries 34 (Sarries by 19)
