Premiership round 8: preview and predictions

Exeter v Worcester
Sireli Naqelevuki will be looking to wreak havoc on the Worcester rearguard as he returns to the Chiefs starting line-up in place of the injured Jason Shoemark tomorrow.
The Fijian giant is one of four changes head coach Rob Baxter has made to the side that took lost at Bath last week.
Chris Whitehead returns at hooker in place of Simon Alcott whilst skipper Tom Hayes and Aly Muldowney form a new pairing in the second row.
As a result, Wallaby Dean Mumm is reverting to the blindside flank to replace Tom Johnson who is away on international duty.
Richard Hill has named a new-look pack as Worcester make the trip South to face the Chiefs tomorrow.
There are a total of five changes to the team that defeated Sale 23-16 at Sixways last Friday night.
Hooker Ed Shervington and prop Ceri Jones are both handed their first start of the league campaign in the front row while Dean Schofield returns to captain the team in the second row and Chris Jones is also called up to play at No.8 after impressing off the bench against his former club last week.
One change in the back division sees a welcome return to dynamic wing Josh Drauniniu, who will face his former club alongside centre Josh Matavesi who also makes a first return to Exeter this weekend.
Exeter: Arscott; Camacho, Naqelevuki, Dollman, Jess; Steenson, Thomas; Sturgess, Whitehead, Rimmer; Hayes (capt.), Muldowney; Mumm, Scaysbrook, Baxter.
Replacement: Clark, Moon, Budgen, Hanks, Ewers, Barrett, Mieres, Whitten.
Worcester: Pennell; Drauniniu, Grove, Matavesi, Lemi; Goode, Hodgson; Ce. Jones, Shervington, Andress; Percival, Schofield (capt.); Betty, Kvesic, Ch. Jones.
Replacement: Lutui, Mullan, Currie, Gillies, Taulava, Arr, Carlisle, Fatiaki.
Prediction: The Chiefs were disappointed with their performance in the derby last week. Now back at Sandy Park, there is no doubt they will put a spirited display and avoid their fourth loss on the bounce. This should be a good day for the Chiefs’ fans.
Harlequins v Gloucester
With just one point separating the teams, Premiership front runners Quins will entertain Gloucester in a top of the table clash at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday.
With the international period almost in full swing, Quins welcome Kiwi Nick Evans back to the starting line-up having missed the last three games with an ankle injury.
Karl Dickson will partner him in the half-backs in the absence of Danny Care with Sam Smith replacing Ugo Monye on the wing.
Mike Brown, released by England, starts at full-back but Jordan Turner-Hall continues rehabilitation on his knee.
In the pack, Mark Lambert starts at loose head while Joe Gray returns from injury to start at hooker while Luke Wallace comes into the back row for Chris Robshaw.
In-form Gloucester are unbeaten since the opening day of the season but this will be their biggest task against the English champions.
Nigel Davies makes four changes from the side that defeated Leicester last weekend.
Matt Cox comes in for the injured Sione Kalamafoni at blindside while Dan Murphy starts at loosehead in place of Nick Wood who sit on the bench. Ben Morgan starts at No.8 after also being released by England.
Wing Charlie Sharples is on England duty so Shane Monahan comes into the side. He will be joined in the back three by Martyn Thomas who gets the nod over Rob Cook.
Harlequins: Brown; Williams, Hopper, Casson, Smith; Evans, Dickson; Lambert, Gray, Johnston; Kohn, Robson; Fa’asavalu, Wallace, Easter (capt.).
Replacements: Buchanan, Marfo, Collier, Matthews, Guest, Burns, Botica, Stegmann.
Gloucester: Thomas; Monahan, Tindall (capt.), Twelvetrees, Simpson-Daniel; Burns, Cowan; Murphy, Edmonds, Harden; Savage, James; Cox, Qera, Morgan.
Replacements: D’Apice, Wood, Chistolini, Buxton, Evans, Robson, Molenaar, Cook.
Prediction: This is a tough one between two in-form teams. Gloucester’s spirit will be sky-high after last week’s win against the Tigers while Quins showed their belief to clinch it late. The Quins boys coming in haven’t had a lot of game time so they’ll be keen to show their worth. At home the Champions will just clinch it again.
Leicester v Northampton
Leicester will be keen to bounce back from their defeat at Kingsholm last week when they take on Northampton in Saturday’s Premiership derby at Welford Road.
Ben Youngs returns after being released from the England squad after missing last Saturday’s match at Gloucester.
Julian Salvi returns to the back row and is joined by Steve Mafi and summer signing Richard Thorpe who comes in at No.8.
Marcos Ayerza, George Chuter and Martin Castrogiovanni form a new-look front row with Graham Kitchener coming in for Geoff Parling at lock.
George Ford gets his chance at fly-half while Niall Morris replaces Vereniki Goneva on the wing.
Callum Clark return to the Saints’ side following the 32-week ban he received last season against the Tigers while Tom May starts at full-back after coming on as an early substitute for the injured Steven Myler last week.
Jamie Elliott gets a chance on the wing so Vasily Artemyev drops to the bench and Martin Roberts comes in to partner Ryan Lamb in the half-backs.
Up front, Brian Mujati gets a start alongside Mike Haywood and Samu Manoa who replace the injured Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes.
Leicester: Murphy (capt.); Hamilton, Smith, Allen, Morris; Ford, Youngs; Ayerza, Chuter, Castrogiovanni; Deacon, Kitchener; Mafi, Salvi, Thorpe.
Replacements: Stevens, Stankovich, Balmain, Slater, Noone, Harrison, Bowden.
Northampton: May; K. Pisi, G.Pisi, Waldouck, Elliott; Lamb, Roberts; Tonga’uiha, Haywood, Mujati; Manoa, Sorenson; Clark, Dowson (capt.), Van Velze.
Replacements: Mcmillan, Waller, Doran-Jones, Nutley, Oakley, Day, Burrell, Artemyev.
Predictions: Off the two sides, Leicester are the one more used to play without their big guys and as Geordan Murphy told us, the guys coming can do the job just as well. It will be brutal up front but Leicester’s back row will have the edge with the return of Julian Salvi to unleash George Ford and co. at the back and win it.
London Welsh v Bath
London Welsh make seven changes to the team that were beaten by Wasps last week for the visit of Bath to the Kassam Stadium on Sunday.
Tom Arscott returns to full-back after recovering from injury so new recruit Tom Voyce move to the wing.
In the centres, Gavin Henson partners Sonny Parker as Gordon Ross takes over at fly-half.  Nick Runciman comes in to complete a new half-back pairing.
There are two changes in the forwards. Tom Bristow starts at loosehead in place of Franck Montanella and Lee Beach comes in at No.8 for Alfie To’oala.
Bath hope of pushing on from last week’s victory of Exeter is boosted by the return of giant Matt Banahan.
He will make his first appearance for Bath since the second round coming into the outside centre slot alongside Ben Williams.
Anthony Perenise starts at tighthead in place of David Wilson, scrumming down with Lee Mears and Paul James in the front row.
There’s a change on the flanks as injuries to Carl Fearns and Francois Louw see club captain Stuart Hooper start at blindside and Will Skuse making his first Premiership start at openside.
London Welsh: Arscott; Scott, Parker, Henson, Voyce; Ross, Runciman; Bristow, Briggs, Ion; Purdy, Corker, Mills (capt.), Hills, Beach.
Replacements: George, Moss, Joly, Brown, Denbee, Keats, Jewell, Lewis.
Bath: Abendanon; Eastmond, Banahan, Williams, Biggs; Donald, Claassens; James, Mears, Perenise; Day, Attwood; Hooper (capt.), Skuse, Skirving.
Replacements: Sharman, Beech, Palma-Newport, Spencer, Mercer, McMillan, Vesty, Agulla.
Prediction: Quietly Bath are becoming a better side week-in week-out. There defence is has good as any other in the league and they also proved they can score tries behind their powerful pack. They will have to concentrate against London Welsh but they should get the goods if they do.
Sale v London Irish
Cameron Shepherd will make his Sharks debut tonight as the Australian starts on the left wing for the reception of London Irish in a battle of the bottom of the table.
With seven defeats in as many games and only two points to their name and the reshuffling of the coaching set-up this week, Steve Diamond will be hoping for an “electroshock” to finally get their season going against the side just above them in the table.
Shepherd’s inclusion, the only change to the team that lost to Worcester last week, means Mark Cueto shifts to the right wing and Tom Brady drops to the bench while Mark Easter and Dwayne Peel join the replacements for James Gaskell and Nathan Fowles.
Meanwhile, flyer Marland Yarde has recovered from injury and returns to the London Irish starting line-up as the Exiles look to confirm their new found form with an away win.
They ran reigning champions Harlequins to the wire last week but they now have to win if they want to keep clear of Sale at the bottom of the table.
Samoan Sailosi Tagicakibau moves into the centres in place of Jonathan Joseph and Scott Lawson starts at hooker.
Youngster Darren Allinson starts his first match of the season at scrum half and will form a combination with Ian Humphreys.
Sale: Macleod; Cueto, Leota, Tuitupou, Shepherd; Cipriani, Willis; Harrison, Taylor, Buckley; Gray, McKenzie; Vernon, Seymour (capt.), Powell.
Replacements: Ward, Lewis-Roberts, Cobilas, Myall, Easter, Peel, Miller, Brady.
London Irish: Watson; Ojo, Armitage, Tagicakibau, Yarde; Humphreys, Allinson; Lahiff, Lawson, Aulika; Evans, Garvey; Danaher (capt.),Gibson, Hala’ufia.
Replacement: Blaney, Griffiths, Halavatau, Skivington, Treviranus, , Shingler, Geraghty, Moates.
Prediction: Tonight will not be about looking good for Sale, it’ll be about passion and aggression. But Irish will try to pin them back and frustrate them to strike. I’m going to be optimistic here and give the Sharks the win (just).
Saracens v London Wasps
After Twickenham, Wembley Stadium and Brussels, Sunday’s clash against the high-flying Wasps will be Saracens’ first match of the season at Vicarage Road in Watford.
Charlie Hodgson returns at fly-half for the occasion while Chris Wyles, James Short and Kameli Ratuvou also come into the backline to replace Owen Farrell, Alex Goode, Chris Ashton and Brad Barritt all away with England.
In the forwards, Matt Stevens switches to loosehead prop while Carlos Nieto starts at tighthead. Schalk Brits, who will join up with the South African touring squad after the match, is named at hooker.
Ernst Joubert and Andy Saull make up the back row along with new Scotland captain Kelly Brown.
London Wasps have made five changes from the starting line-up which defeated London Welsh with a bonus point last weekend, in what was a fourth consecutive win for Wasps.
There is a new centre pairing in Chris Bell and Elliot Daly with Andrea Masi, who has been training in Italy for much of this week, is named in the replacements.
Charlie Davies comes in at scrum-half for the injured Joe Simpson in the other change in the backs while up front Rhys Thomas starts at hooker and James Haskell returns to start in the No.7 shirt.
Saracens: Wyles; Strettle, Tomkins, Ratuvou, Short; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Stevens, Brits, Nieto; Borthwick (capt.), Hargreaves; Brown, Saull, Joubert.
Replacement: Smit, Auterac, Du Plessis, Kruis, Fraser, De Kock, Mordt, Maddock.
London Wasps: Southwell (capt.); Varndell, Daly, Bell, Wade; Robinson, Davies; Payne, Thomas, Taulafo; Launchbury, Wentzel; Johnson, Haskell, Vunipola.
Replacement: Lindsay, Swainston, McIntyre, Cannon, Poff, Holmes, Bell, Masi.
Prediction: This will be the biggest test of the season for the Premiership top two try-scorers Tom Varndell and Christian Wade against the best defence in the land. The forwards will have to be at the top of their game if they want to put them in the best position but you just feel that, even with a few players missing, this Saracens unit will be a too big nut to crack for Wasps.