The Premiership finishes the first part of its season with five exciting games this weekend; Tom Jeffreys takes you through each of the final matches before the start of clubs' European campaigns.
Sale, as they did this time last year, boast top spot with Saracens hot on their heels. The mid-table, symptomatic of the more quality dense league this year, is full of jeopardy and playoff spots are in demand.
With the various European competitions beginning next weekend, statement wins to secure strong league positions are paramount; Saturday's fixtures are particularly appetising as out of form sides Bristol and Gloucester face off at Ashton Gate, whilst on form sides Bath and Exeter battle at the Rec. After, a weakened Saracens side host a hungry Northampton Saints side.
The Sunday fixture is less enticing; Leicester Tigers host winless Newcastle Falcons. However, before all that is this evening's tough to call fixture between a frustrated Harlequins and table-toppers Sale…
Harlequins vs Sale Sharks, Friday 1st December, 19.45 kick off, TNT Sports
This fixture perhaps comes at a bad time for Quins but will produce an interesting spectacle regardless of form as Marcus Smith and George Ford face off in the ten shirts, with added pressure in light of this week's Owen Farrell news.
After a triumphant win against Leicester, Quins put in a sorry performance in their London derby vs Saracens, but looked to be on a positive trajectory against Northampton last week. Their progress is cut out by a full strength Sale side making the 210 mile journey south.
Consistency is the word for leaders Sale: it is the fourth consecutive start for both their formidable back row of Ernst van Rhyn, Ben Curry and Dan Du Preez and their profligate back three of Aaron Reed, Tom Roebuck and Joe Carpenter. Raffi Quirke is also returning to the bench.
Harlequins are finally managing to find some consistency of their own, as their three quarter line of Marcus Smith, André Esterhuizen, and Will Joseph start together again. Cadan Murley also makes his second straight appearance, following his try-scoring return last week, whilst Joes Marler and Launchbury return to a strengthened pack.
Bristol vs Gloucester, Saturday 2nd December, 14.00 kick off, TNT Sports
Saturday's West Country derby is an intriguing prospect given both sides are now five games without a win. They sit eighth and ninth in the table respectively, but judging off recent fixtures between the two, Bristol have more than just league table advantage: the last time either of these sides won away to each other in Premiership was in February 2021.
Bristol will hope the addition of even more superstar power can finally prevent them from underperforming as Steven Luatua makes his first appearance since round one. There's a return to full strength in the front row too, in the form of Ellis Genge, Harry Thacker, and Kyle Sinckler.
Contrastingly, Gloucester are keeping their high profile front row on the bench. George McGuigan and Jamal Ford-Robinson both scored last week – the former is in the 16 shirt, deputising for Santiago Socino, for the first time this season. Elsewhere in the pack, Ruan Ackermann makes a long-awaited return from injury for his first appearance of the season.
Bath vs Exeter, Saturday 2nd December, 15.00 kick off, TNT Sports
The action just gets better on Saturday as Bath host Exeter. There is an increasing sense that the Rec is a tough place for teams to travel nowadays, and Exeter's away form has been a talking point lately. Will their win away last week, albeit against Newcastle, galvanise their young squad.
The game has big ramifications for the league heading into a fortnight of European competition, Exeter are just one point ahead of Bath in third, and Saracens have a somewhat weakened side fielded for Northampton.
As ever, the headline team news is that Bath's million pound player Finn Russell starts, but he will be without Ollie Lawrence again in the backline. Max Ojomoh takes the 13 shirt instead. Elsewhere, four-try prop Thomas du Toit is absent, but is replaced in the aggregate by four-try Ben Spencer's return to scrum half.
For Exeter, there is a return for number eight Greg Fisilau after a four-round absence. His battle vs another England number eight pretender in Alfie Barbeary could be intriguing. In the front row, Exeter are without Scott Sio for the first time this year.
Saracens vs Northampton Saints, Saturday 2nd December, 16.30 kick off, TNT Sports
Saturday is rounded off by another captivating fixture in a repeat of last season's semi final. With Bath, Exeter and Quins facing tough fixtures, it's a real chance for Saints to make a playoff push, but their opponents are tough.
As a testament to their depth, the likes of Jamie George, Tom Willis, and Owen Farrell in light of this week's announcement to sit out the Six Nations don't feature. However, the starting lineup still boasts the likes of Theo Dan, Maro Itoje, Theo McFarland and Alex Goode.
Saints were back to their chaotic best last week, but reshuffle again with Lewis Ludlum absent, and George Hendy dropped to the bench as George Furbank goes back to 15. This is, of course, due to the return of Finn Smith, who will hope his dominance over opposite ten Manu Vunipola can reflect on the scoresheet.
Given Sam Matavesi's Cornish upbringing, Saints' starting XV is fully English qualified.
Leicester Tigers vs Newcastle Falcons, Sunday 3rd December, 15.00 kick off, TNT Sports
Finishing off a full house of televised fixtures, Newcastle face no let up as they travel to Welford Road. Falcons did win the last encounter at the back end of last season, but are winless in seven games this year whilst Tigers have found some form since their loss to Saracens in round four.
Falcons have unloaded their Argentine repertoire through Eduardo Bello, Pedro Rubiolo, and Matias Moroni, but they need their homegrown talent to perform to take any slim chance of victory; Adam Radwan's wonder try all the way back in round two was the last time he featured on the scoresheet.
Tigers' line-up shows plenty of respect for their opponents, with Julian Montoya making his second appearance of the season in a pack bolstered by the remarkable back row of Hanro Liebenberg, Tommy Reffell, and Jasper Wiese. Handré Pollard remains at 10, with Freddie Steward pushed out to the wing by Mike Brown.
