Last week’s picks were pretty good, with only the Tigers letting me down in the defeat away to Sale. This weekend looks fairly straightforward, but there are two matches that could cause problems.
Bath v Sale
Sale are famously tough to beat at home, as the Tigers were reminded last weekend, but they are equally pretty rubbish away from home. They won’t win this one away to Bath, one of the form sides in the league.
The margin is tricky to pick, but I think it will be double figures. Bath by 16.
SuperBru Community: Bath by 9.54 | Paddy Power: Bath -10
Exeter v Gloucester
This is another one that looks fairly easy to predict. Gloucester has been fairly useless so far, with just one win followed by two defeats at Kingsholm.
Exeter ran Northampton close at Franklins Gardens last weekend, losing by just a point, but they’ll get back to winning ways in this fixture at Sandy Park. Exeter by 13.
SuperBru Community: Exeter by 8.58 | Paddy Power: Exeter -13
Harlequins v Northampton
This feels like one of the toughest to call this weekend. Quins sit 11th in the table, but yet they are the only side to have beaten Saracens so far this season.
Saints have had a tough run of fixtures so far, having played Bath, Sarries, Wasps and Exeter in the first five, so it’s tricky to judge them on results alone. They’ve had the better of Quins in this fixture, having won their last 7 meetings, and I think they’ll edge this one at the Stoop. Northampton by 2.
SuperBru Community: Harlequins by 0.6 | Paddy Power: Harlequins -3
Leicester v Worcester
The Tigers will obviously win this one, given that Worcester has never won at Welford Road, and Leicester usually beat them home and away.
They’ll want to bounce back from defeat at Sale last weekend, and I think they’ll win comfortably. Leicester by 16.
SuperBru Community: Leicester by 12.08 | Paddy Power: Leicester -14
Newcastle v Bristol
These sort of games are already becoming must-win for Bristol, who have shipped 182 points in their last four matches.
Newcastle has become very proficient at winning the important home games, and they should take the spoils here. Newcastle by 8.
SuperBru Community: Newcastle by 11.19 | Paddy Power: Newcastle -9
Saracens v Wasps
This top of the table clash is already looking like a warm-up for the Premiership Final in May, and instinct says that the home side will win. However, Wasps won this fixture 23-64 last season, and are unbeaten through the first 5 rounds this term.
I still fancy Sarries to win though, and they could leapfrog Wasps into first if they can deny them a losing Bonus Point. Saracens by 8.
SuperBru Community: Saracens by 2.47 | Paddy Power: Saracens -4