Weekend preview: Potent Wasps even stronger as Bath fear another rout

Wasps are not in obvious need of a leg up from four returning internationals

Wing Frank Halai is one of four international players who have returned to the Wasps squad (Getty Images)

Bath v Wasps (3.15)

Wasps are not in obvious need of a leg up from four returning internationals: when they travelled to Saracens without the quartet in question last weekend, they scored eight tries and accumulated 64 points in one of the more remarkable performances in Premiership history.

The fact that the All Black wing Frank Halai, the Scotland outside-half Ruaridh Jackson, the Italy prop Lorenzo Cittadini and the Wales lock Bradley Davies are back in the mix is likely to have a bigger effect on Bath by making them feel even worse about themselves than they do already.

As Wasps have won at the Recreation Ground this season – by a country mile in a European Champions Cup game before Christmas – they must fancy their chances of rubbing their opponents’ noses in the giant West Country cowpat they have constructed for themselves over the last four months.

Bath cannot quite drop into the bottom three of the table, no matter what indignities they may suffer, but unless the mighty Springbok flanker Francois Louw finds a way of subduing his rival back-row maestro, the Wallaby breakaway George Smith, their slump will surely continue. At least the home side have the outside-half Rhys Priestland and the centre Ollie Devoto back from Six Nations duty.

London Irish v Exeter (Sunday, 3pm)

Things are getting serious for the Exiles, two points adrift at the foot of the table and contemplating the gruesome prospect of playing second-tier rugby at the Madejski Stadium, a venue miles too big for them as it is. If they are catching Exeter at a good time – most unusually, the Devonians have just lost two league games on the bounce – they do not look equipped to frighten them unduly, especially in the key inside-back positions.

Rob Baxter, the Exeter coach, is sticking by the starting players that went under at Sale last time out. Michele Campagnaro, the Italian midfielder who gave England so much to think about in Rome, is available for bench duty.

Saracens v Gloucester (3pm)

Gloucester have beefed up their pack with the experienced prop Nick Wood and the All Black lock Jeremy Thrush, but they could still find themselves on the painful end of a backlash from a champion club looking to right the wrongs of a dire performance against Wasps last weekend.

Sarries have reshaped their back row, drafting in Will Fraser at flanker and Jackson Wray at No 8. There are also starting places for the discarded England scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth, the Scotland centre Duncan Taylor and the Wales prop Rhys Gill.

Worcester v Sale (3pm)

Worcester are in an almighty strop over perceived refereeing injustices, so the Warwickshire referee Greg Garner would be advised to take the field in a tin hat. Deep in relegation strife after a long run of defeats, the Midlanders have thrown their latest signing, the Springbok scrum-half Francois Hougaard, straight into the starting line-up and handed another South African recruit, Dewald Potgieter, a first start on the blind-side flank.

Sale are sticking by their outside-half Danny Cipriani, despite his impending departure for Wasps, while the All Black centre Sam Tuitupou makes his 100th appearance for the club.

Newcastle v Northampton (tomorrow, 3pm)

The Tynesiders are on a high after recent home victories over Harlequins and Leicester and will be happier still if the age-defying Tongan flanker Nili Latu passes a fitness test. The visitors are unchanged after their victory over London Irish last weekend – a result of considerable value to Newcastle, funnily enough.