Gloucester Rugby vs Saracens

Gloucester recorded a famous victory in this fixture last season, with James Hook kicking a mammoth penalty with the final play of the game to send Kingsholm into rapture. Can they do likewise this year? Hook is recalled to the team after his brief World Cup sojourn with the Wales team, with captain Billy Twelvetrees shifting out two places to the 13 shirt. Ben Morgan takes the number eight shirt, in an all-English back-row that includes Matt Kvesic and exciting talent Lewis Ludlow. Saracens, who crushed Sale in the opening round, include England stars Owen Farrell (at centre), Mako Vunipola, Jamie George – who captains the side – and George Kruis.

Gloucester recorded a hugely impressive win over Newcastle last weekend and will be flying high, but the manner in which Saracens dismantled Sale was just brutal. They look to have too much power for the Cherry and Whites. Saracens by 6.

Sale Sharks vs Worcester Warriors

After last weekend’s 3-41 embarrassment at Allianz Park, Sale fans might have been looking forward to a much simpler assignment at home to newly-promoted Worcester. But after the Warriors announced their return to the top league with a stunning win over Northampton in round one, this looks anything but a gimme. Sale travel notoriously badly and will be a different proposition at home, where they have lost only once in the league in 2015. Worcester will again be directed by last weekend’s drop goal hero Tom Heathcote, while for Sale electric fullback Mike Haley was one of the few Sharks to paint themselves in a positive light in round one.

It is a hugely difficult game to call. Sale have beaten Worcester on the last six occasions of this fixture, but in light of last weekend’s results that means very little. At the AJ Bell Stadium, however, the home side need to make a statement. Sale by 2.

Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Falcons

The Saints were downed by Worcester in a gritty Friday night affair last weekend, but did not help their cause by playing some horrendously one-dimensional rugby at times. They welcome Courtney Lawes and Tom Wood into the starting line-up, hoping that the two England stars can galvanise a side that will be reeling from a shock defeat. Newcastle, by contrast, played some enterprising rugby at times against Gloucester but were hurt by their own indiscipline, which allowed Billy Twelvetrees to punish them with the boot.

This may look slightly less straightforward after Northampton’s loss to Worcester, but the Saints should still have more than enough to come away with a comfortable win here. Northampton by 12.

Wasps vs Bath Rugby

The Ricoh should play host to a stunning game of rugby this weekend, as two of last season’s top try-scoring teams – and certainly two of the most entertaining to watch – do battle once again. Wasps came unstuck against a Nick Evans-inspired Quins side in round one, and will be concerned by the porous nature of some of their defending. Frank ‘the tank’ Halai makes his debut on the wing and in combination with the likes of Daly, Simpson and Wade, Wasps have some deadly finishers in their ranks. James Haskell and Joe Launchbury are also welcomed back from England duty with places in the starting XV. Bath make a couple of changes to the side that beat Exeter in a thriller on opening weekend; Ollie Devoto starts at outside centre and Niko Matawalu makes his first Premiership start at scrum-half. With Ford, Easmond and Devoto combining in midfield, Bath have immense distributing potential and exciting wingers Rokoduguni and Watson should see plenty of ball.

As exciting as the backs are, the forwards will of course have a big say in the eventual result. Bath look like they might shade the set piece, but with George Smith aided by Launchbury and Haskell, Wasps may have the edge at the breakdown. All of which means it will be immensely close at the Ricoh – home advantage sways it for me. Wasps by 2.

Exeter Chiefs vs London Irish

Exeter were within a whisker of downing Bath at the Rec in round one (which would have made it two weeks in a row), and even though they lost they will take plenty of heart from a narrow defeat at a very tough place to play. Henry Slade and Jack Nowell make their first starts since returning from an England World Cup campaign they played little part in, and will be keen to prove how wrong that decision was. London Irish’s new era was ushered in with a home loss to the Tigers in round one, but there were encouraging signs with their set piece shaping up particularly well. Matt Symons and George Skivington look like an engine room around which the team can be moulded.

Not too much doubt surrounding this one – it should be a comfortable home win for the Chiefs. Exeter by 15.

Leicester Tigers vs Harlequins

The Tigers opened their campaign with a sweeping win at the Madejski Stadium, despite suffering chronic problems at the set piece borne out of a new hooker in Greg Bateman combining with two new locks in the Mikes Fitzgerald and Williams. This week, then, it is no surprise to see Tom Youngs return to the starting line-up. In a reshuffle to the pack, Seb de Chaves comes into the second row, Williams moves to six with Tom Croft at seven and Lachlan McCaffrey at eight. Quins make just one change to the side that beat Wasps with England’s Mike Brown replacing Olly Lindsay-Hague at fullback. Joe Marler, Nick Easter and Danny Care wait to be unleashed from the bench, while Marland Yarde lurks on the wing after an excellent outing in round one.

Quins have managed victories on two of their last four visits to Welford Road, so this playing group knows how to win at one of the most difficult places to do so. But the Tigers have enough muscle and nous to manage a victory on the first game of the season in front of their fans. Leicester by 3.

By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images