PREM Rugby round 11: Predictions, teams, kick-off times, how to watch and referee appointments
Finn Russell (left) and Tom Willis (right) will be in action for their clubs this weekend as the PREM returns to centre stage
After the Six Nations and PREM Cup break, the PREM gets back underway with a bumper weekend of fixtures across the league.
The action gets underway at the Rec, as Bath face Saracens in a dress rehearsal of their impending Investec Champions Cup knockout tie in a couple of weeks.
Saturday sees three games taking place, with eighth-place Harlequins taking on ninth-placed Gloucester in a game that could kickstart both teams’ seasons, while Northampton Saints welcome Newcastle Red Bulls to Franklin’s Gardens as they look to strengthen their position at the top of the table, and Exeter Chiefs will look to bounce back from their Cup Final defeat as they face Sale Sharks at Sandy Park.
Rounding off the weekend, PREM Cup winners Leicester Tigers face play-off rivals Bristol Bears with both teams able to get some breathing room in the race for the top four.
Check on all the PREM team news, our predictions the match officials and more below.
Friday
Bath v Saracens
Prediction: Bath by 12
Bath Rugby: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Henry Arundell, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Will Muir, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer (c), 8 Alfie Barbeary, 7 Miles Reid, 6 Josh Bayliss, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Archie Griffin, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano
Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Santi Carreras, 23 Sam Underhill
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Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Tobias Elliott, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ivan van Zyl (c), 8 Tom Willis, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 6 Theo McFarland, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 3 Marcus Street, 2 Theo Dan, 1 Eroni Mawi
Replacements: 16 James Hadfield, 17 Alex O’Driscoll, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Fergus Burke, 23 Max Malins
Venue: The Rec
Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant Referees: Anthony Woodthorpe and Calum Howard
TMO: David Rose
How to watch: Live on TNT Sports 1, UHD, discovery+
Saturday
Harlequins v Gloucester
Prediction: Gloucester by 3
Harlequins: 15 Nick David, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Ben Waghorn, 12 Bryn Bradley, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Stu Townsend, 8 Alex Dombrandt (c), 7 Seb Driscoll, 6 Jack Kenningham, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 4 Guido Petti Pagadizabal, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Simon Kerrod
Replacements: 16 Jack Musk, 17 Will Hobson, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Jonny Green, 20 Zach Carr, 21 Lucas Friday, 22 Jamie Benson, 23 Tyrone Green
Gloucester: 15 Ben Redshaw, 14 Will Joseph, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Tomos Williams (c), 8 Will Trenholm, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Jack Clement, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Arthur Clark, 3 Afo Fasogbon, 2 Jack Innard, 1 Val Rapava Ruskin
Replacements: 16 Manaaki Boyle-Tiatia, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Deian Gwynne, 21 Caolan Englefield, 22 George Barton, 23 Josiah Edwards-Giraud
Venue: Twickenham Stoop
Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Referee: Sara Cox
Assistant Referees: Andrew Jackson & Wayne Falla
TMO: Karl Dickson
How to watch: Live on discovery+
Northampton Saints v Newcastle Red Bulls
Prediction: Northampton by 30
Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 James Pater, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Tom Litchfield, 11 James Ramm, 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Archie McParland, 8 Callum Chick (c), 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Tom Lockett, 5 Chunya Munga, 4 Ed Prowse, 3 Luke Green, 2 Robbie Smith, 1 Emmanuel Iyogun
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Tom West, 18 Cleopas Kundiona, 19 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 20 Charlie Ulcoq, 21 Tom James, 22 Toby Thame, 23 Ollie Sleightholme
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Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Oli Spencer, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Harrison Obatoyinbo, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simon Benitez Cruz, 8 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Reuben Parsons, 5 Adam Scott, 4 Freddie Clarke, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 George McGuigan (c), 1 Adam Brocklebank
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Murray McCallum, 18 Nicky Little, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Tom Gordon, 21 James Elliott, 22 Rhys Beeckmans, 23 Boeta Chamberlain
Venue: cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Adam Leal and John Meredith
TMO: Dan Jones
How to watch: Live on TNT Sports 1, UHD, discovery+
Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks
Prediction: Exeter by 15
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Olly Woodburn, 14 Paul Brown-Bampoe, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Campbell Ridl, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Greg Fisilau, 7 Ross Vintcent, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 3 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 2 Jack Yeandle, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Julian Heaven, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Jimmy Roots, 19 Lewis Pearson, 20 Finn Worley Brady, 21 Tom Cairns, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Dan John
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Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Marius Louw, 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Arron Reed, 10 Rob du Preez, 9 Raffi Quirke, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Sam Dugdale, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ben Bamber, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (c), 3 James Harper, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 1 Si McIntyre
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Ralph McEachran, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Jos Gilmore, 20 Reuben Logan, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Ollie Davies, 23 Alex Wills
Venue: Sandy Park
Kick-off: 15:05 BST
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant Referees: Harry Walbaum and Simon Harding
TMO: Dean Richards
How to watch: Live on TNT Sports 1, UHD, discovery+
Sunday
Leicester Tigers v Bristol Bears
Prediction: Leicester by 5
Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 13 Will Wand, 12 Orlando Bailey, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Tom Whiteley, 8 Olly Cracknell, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Joaquin Moro, 5 Ollie Chessum (c), 4 Hanro Liebenberg, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie Blamire, 1 Nicky Smith
Replacements: 16 Finn Theobald-Thomas, 17 Archie van der Flier, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Osian Thomas, 20 Harry Palmer, 21 Jack van Poortvliet, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Izaia Perese
Bristol Bears: 15 Noah Heward, 14 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 Sam Worsley, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Fitz Harding (c), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Joe Owen, 4 James Dun, 3 George Kloska, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Jake Woolmore
Replacements: 16 Tomas Gwilliam, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Lovejoy Chawatama, 19 George Taylor, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Matias Moroni, 23 Aidan Boshoff
Venue: Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant Referees: Hamish Smales and James Clarke
TMO: Peter Allan
How to watch: Live on TNT Sports 1, UHD, discovery+