Previews

Sharks aim to bite Saracens

Author: Sir David Smith
Date: 04/12/2009
Rugby Union betting

Guinness Premiership table-toppers Saracens welcome Sale Sharks to Vicarage Road on Saturday as they look to maintain their excellent unbeaten start to the campaign.

Sarries, who are joint sportsbook favourites to win the league this season, lost their 100 per-cent winning run with a 12-12 draw at Worcester last time out but they still sit four points clear of second placed London Irish after nine games.

Sale will be looking forward to returning to action following last Friday's debacle at Edgeley Park.

They were due to face Wasps but the visitors refused to play claiming the pitch was unplayable and therefore, unsafe for action.

The decision dismayed the hosts and winger Mark Cueto said: "It's an absolute shambles and a total joke.

"The referees told us that they called it off because they were not happy with the game, but I think it is really bad that a team can just call it off.

"It is a multi-million pound business, and the Guinness Premiership so it is a joke."

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London Irish take on Worcester at Madejski Stadium, Reading on Saturday afternoon and a win for the Exiles will keep the pressure on Saracens at the top of the pile.

The visitors are languishing in tenth place in the table and a win on the road is unlikely. Worcester have not beaten London Irish in the Guinness Premiership since a 20-15 victory at Madejski Stadium in September 2005.

Northampton Saints face up to Bath at Franklin's Gardens and a win will consolidate their position in the top three.

Bath are in wretched form at the wrong end of the table with just one win to their name from their opening nine fixtures.

The Saints have won their last four games and possess a formidable home record, losing just once on their own patch in 41 outings.

Leicester Tigers travel to Wasps with the visitors having the edge over the Adams Park outfit in their previous 26 Premiership meetings.

The Tigers have claimed 15 wins to Wasps' nine with two games ending in draws.

However, Wasps have lost just once in their last 16 home games and have won their last four games against Sunday's opposition.

Leicester sit in fourth spot with Wasps one place below in fifth in the table.

Newcastle Falcons face a long trip to Kingsholm to face Gloucester on Saturday afternoon with the hosts having the better of previous meetings in the Premiership.

The Falcons have won just one of their last seven clashes with Gloucester and their only victory at Kingsholme in 17 meetings was a narrow 29-27 success way back in April 1998.

Basement boys Leeds Carnegie will be looking to grab a victory as they make slow progress following their promotion from the Championship.

Harlequins have won on four of their six previous visits to Headingley and they will confident of grabbing yet another victory to help them up the table and their 35-29 victory over Gloucester, which ended a three-game winless run, should give them grounds for optimism.

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