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It is the 18th and final round of matches in the Gallagher Premiership, and there are five teams vying for the three unclaimed playoff places.
It is the 18th and final round of matches in the Gallagher Premiership, and there are five teams vying for the three unclaimed playoff places.
Bath are guaranteed first place and start the day will 71 points, 15 more than Leicester Tigers in second place.
The Tigers need a point to guarantee a playoff place, and four would guarantee them second place and a home semifinal.
Three points separate Sale Sharks in third place on 54, with Saracens in sixth position with 51, the same as fifth placed Gloucester.
With all the matches started at 15.05 locally, it means the teams in the playoff places cannot let their focus slip for a moment, or others will be ready to pounce.
This could be the match with the twist in its tail.
Saracens, a team with experience galore of winning crucial matches, and needing all the fates to go their way, against the runaway league leaders, who will be without the suspended Sam Underhill and likely to rest the majority of the team that won the EPCR Challenge Cup a week ago.
Mark McCall’s team will need their pack to make Bath’s sweat.
Tom Willis led the charge last time out against Northampton Saints with a season’s best eight defenders beaten and they will need him to repeat that performance and add to his 91 players beaten if they want to have any chance of claiming the five points on offer.
Expect them to play on emotion too as Alex Goode waves farewell to Allianz Park after over 400 matches and multiple titles with the north London outfit.
Two of the Premiership’s great entertainers, and two of the league’s most mercurial.
Bristol have shown great flair, but also great vulnerability this season. As the team in fourth place, they hope that Danny Care’s farewell to The Stoop in Round 17 has already put Harlequins minds in holiday mode.
If the Bears get going, look out for Gabriel Ibitoye and Kalaveti Ravouvou to be the ones to make the breakthrough as they aim to add to their 28 cleans breaks this season. They have also weighed in with 11 and 10 Premiership tries.
Cadan Murley has been in good form on Harlequins’ left wing as he returns from injury. He’s scored four tries in his last two Premiership matches, and footage of him enjoying himself at England training is a good sign for the Quins faithful.
Another match that could upend the playoff picture.
Gloucester start level on 51 points with Saracens but are likely to take on a Northampton Saints team hit by injuries and disappointment after they lost the Investec Champions Cup a week ago.
Seb Atkinson has been away training with England and George Skivington will hope he is inspired to match his Round 17 showing in which he scored a try, assisted two others, and made 20 carries, the highest of the round.
Saints prop Tarek Hafar came off the bench for the final 15 minutes of the Champions Cup Final, and he is someone who is likely to be involved.
He was vital to their win against Saracens in Round 17, with the second of his brace of tries sealing the match after the whistle.
A match between a team that can’t wait till the season ends, against one who wants it to run and run.
Chiefs, with their new coaching team, have shown signs of improvement but are a long way off returning to the Premiership’s upper reaches.
Josh Hodge has played the most minutes for Chiefs with 1,246, and this is a chance to show that he Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Paul Brown-Bampoe will be a back three to threaten teams next season.
Sale will wonder how they aren’t already guaranteed a playoff place yet considering how well they have played at times.
They will have two players who will continue to show that they are ready for any British and Irish Lions call up.
George Ford scored a round high 16 points in Round 17, made up of a try and 11 points from 11 off the kicking team, while Ben Curry made four clean breaks and set up a try.
Leicester Tigers have made a habit of shopping at Newcastle Falcons, with Adam Radwan reborn since moving from Kingston Park to Mattioli Woods Welford Road mid-season.
It was an inspired move, and few would bet against adding to his 10 Premiership tries against his old team.
The same goes for Ollie Hassell-Collins who has scored 12 tries from Tigers’ opposite wing.
Jamie Blamire leads try-scoring for Falcons with six, not a bad return for a hooker, but the local lad is off in the summer, with Welford Road his destination.
It means Saturday is one last chance to show Newcastle fans what he can do and show his new employers what he will be bring.
