Premiership preview: Five things to expect - Chris Ashton's return, Wasps and Saints to shine, Exiles on the brink
Dave Attwood makes his return from injury and Burns poised to add to Gloucester misery
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Your support makes all the difference.Ashton back with a point to prove
10 weeks is a long time in any sport, but when a lay-off caused through suspension coincides with an England recall and subsequent missed Six Nations tournament, it hurts. For Saracens wing Chris Ashton, his two-year England exile looked to be drawing to a close after he was named in Eddie Jones’s initial Six Nations squad, only for the ban to land at his feet after making contact with the eyes of Ulster centre Luke Marshall the week before.
Ashton missed England Grand Slam campaign as well as Sarries’ slide from the top of the table – and subsequent return – and much to his annoyance, Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell performed with flying colours over the last eight weeks.
But on Friday night Ashton returns in a repeat fixture from last season’s Premiership final, and boy does he have a point to prove. The summer tour of Australia is little over two months away, and if Ashton has ambitions of ousting Watson or Nowell, he needs to show Jones he was right to recall him in the first place.
Burns will have to wait before adding to Gloucester misery
Facing your former side can be an intimidating prospect, but the Gloucester crowd may not be at its ferocious best when Leicester Tigers host them on Saturday. The Cherry and Whites’ 12-17 defeat by West Country rivals Bath last weekend has taken the wind out of their sails in a season that is quickly falling flat.
With the Tigers showing signs of old this season and Manu Tuilagi back in the fold, the East Midlands side might just run riot. That could take the fight out of Gloucester’s defence, and allow their former favourite son Freddie Burns to come off the replacements’ bench – as Owen Williams starts – and inflict the killer blow to severely dent Gloucester’s Champions Cup hopes.
Attwood’s timely return adds to England’s engine room conundrum
How Bath have missed the giant lock. Four months out with a neck injury has left Attwood with plenty of work to, and with Bath struggling to match the high expectations they’ve set for themselves in recent seasons, Attwood will want to go about leading Bath up the Premiership table.
However, it’s on the international scene where Attwood has lost out most. In his absence, England have uncovered a gem in Maro Itoje, while his Saracens colleague George Kruis looks every but the international second-row. How fitting it is then that the trio will come up against each other this weekend, and if Attwood can hit the ground running, the hard-hitting forward will give Jones plenty to think about come the summer tour.
Mallinder key to Saints’ top four hopes
No, not head coach Jim, but the new star of the show in his son, Harry. Versatility has enabled him to cut his teeth deeper in the back line, but Mallinder starts this Sunday’s crucial clash at Wasps in the 12 shirt, having scored the bonus-point try against Harlequins last time out.
With Luther Burrell left out of the matchday squad, Sunday’s encounter could prove to be Mallinder’s chance to cement the 12 shirt as his own. The match is already significant enough given the third vs fourth collision, but with Leicester breathing down the Saints’ necks, they’ll be determined to close the gap to Wasps and ensure that their top-four hopes remain intact heading into the final weeks of the season.
Newcastle can hammer final nail into Irish coffin
If London Irish are to retain their Premiership status, they pretty much have two weekends to do it. The Exiles face 11th-place Newcastle Falcons next weekend in what is rapidly developing into a relegation shootout.
However, this weekend they face a Sale Sharks side boosted by the announcement of some very astute signings for next season in the form of AJ McGinty, Juandre Kruger and rugby league convert Josh Charnley.
If Irish can somehow upset the odds – as they so nearly did against Saracens in New York three weeks ago – they could draw level with Newcastle on 22 points and, dare we say it, a bonus point win would lift them off the bottom.
However, back-to-back wins for Newcastle – who face Harlequins this weekend before next weekend’s relegation showdown – will all but confirm Irish’s status as a Championship club next season. The pressure is on.
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