Premiership Round 14: Best head-to-head matchups in each fixture

By Charlie Elliott

With the Premiership returning, fans are able to see the best talent in England facing off following the brief hiatus in Europe.

The majority of teams still have something to play for, with seven of the league being strongly in contention for the top four places.

Only five games are left, so it really is now or never, and players will need to be at their absolute best to propel their team up the table.

Here are some of the best individual matchups to look out for this weekend.

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Henry Slade v Max Ojomoh

In the centres is a very interesting battle between two of the best in their position in England.

Slade is well established at both club and Test level but Ojomoh seems to be the next big thing, however hasn’t really got his big break yet.

With Slade’s strong defence coming up against the pure speed of Ojomoh, it will be good to see which one comes out on top.

While Bath are expected to win with relative ease, the Chiefs centre could very well be able to stop one of the best attackers in Blue, Black and White.

Ojomoh being able to stand out against such a well-respected player would do his England chances no harm ahead of the upcoming Summer tour.

Marcus Smith v George Ford

Two of England’s best and arguably most underrated fly-halves will battle it out at The Stoop as Harlequins face Sale Sharks in a crucial battle in the top-four race.

Ford has had a stop-start season for the Greater Manchester side, but whenever he has taken to the field, he has been outstanding and really shown his class.

Smith has been one of the finest in his position and is still destined for big things, but has his sceptics, very similar to what has been the case across Ford’s career.

Two players who have extreme intelligence on the game and can dictate the play very well, they will be the focal points for their respective teams.

Ben Earl v Lewis Ludlow

Gloucester captain Ludlow and Earl are both known for their jackal threat and defensive work, with Earl posing a slightly bigger threat with the ball in hand.

This contest at the breakdown will be a massive one to look out for and with the stakes being higher than ever, both will look to bring their A-game.

Energetic and supremely talented, an academy graduate coming up against a club captain will have a bit more passion than usual as well.

Saracens‘ pack is littered with internationals, so the Cherry and Whites will be hugely up against it physically.

Gabriel Ibitoye v Adam Radwan

Electric winger Ibitoye is back from injury and makes his first appearance in 2025, as Bristol Bears host Leicester Tigers.

Mood amongst Tigers fans is very low following their hapless performance against Glasgow Warriors but they are still sitting in second place.

Newly signed Radwan is another winger renowned for his pace, and these two will need to put the burners on to get away from the other.

It will be good to see if Ibitoye can continue is pre-injury form, or if Radwan can bring some much-needed positivity to Tigers

Bears’ attacking mindset lends well to both being heavily involved, and we could see a try-fest with both scoring.

Jamie Blamire v Craig Wright

While Northampton Saints’ squad is far stronger on paper than Newcastle Falcons‘, one of the positions that the home side hold the advantage in is hooker.

Blamire is set to join Leicester Tigers next season as Julian Montoya’s replacement and has been one of the standouts in Steve Diamond’s team this season.

His opposing number is 20-year-old Craig Wright, who played for England U20s last season. Wright is one to watch for the future but his senior impact so far has been limited in the Premiership, only featuring in three league games this season.

Now is his chance to properly cement himself in the side, with Curtis Langdon not in the squad.

It could be a case of a young player stepping up, or Blamire’s experience may pay dividends and propel Falcons to a huge victory.