This is the stage of the season where the casual rugby fan loses interest in the Aviva Premiership, because it’s not the biggest show in town.
Compare the general excitement about this line up of matches to Round 1 in September – the same number of league points are at stake, but the rhythm of the season was interrupted by Europe and then the Internationals, and now it gets no media coverage because England are playing.
One of the reasons we need a better-structured season in the Northern Hemisphere.
But anyway, here are my predictions for this weekend’s matches, trying to take into account how the teams shape up without their international stars.
BATH to beat Bristol by 28
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS to beat Worcester Warriors by 4
EXETER CHIEFS to beat Newcastle Falcons by 13
WASPS to beat Gloucester Rugby by 16
SARACENS to beat Sale Sharks by 8
LEICESTER TIGERS to beat Harlequins by 13
Let me know what you think.
Seems perfectly reasonable set of picks (slightly different margins but same picks that I’ve got), at the outset seems to be an easy GSP (expertly guaranteeing at least one upset across the weekend)
You’ve ruined the GSP now Liono! Fingers crossed for a good weekend.
if there is an upset on the cards it is most likely to come at sixways as Worcester are difficult to breakdown at home and Saints are hardly in great form