GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP TEAM NEWS
ALEX CROCKETT returns from England Saxons duty to captain Bath. Full internationals Lee Mears, Michael Lipman and Matt Stevens will also feature after Six Nations commitments, but Steve Borthwick is injured. It will be prop David Barnes’ 200th game for the club.
Wasps welcome back 11 internationals, including fly-half DANNY CIPRIANI, locks Simon Shaw and Saxons’ Tom Palmer and Back rower James Haskell. Winger Paul Sackey faces a fitness test on this thumb, while Phil Vickery will pair up with Tim Payne. No8 Joe Hart will skipper the side with Lawrence Dallaglio ruled out with a rib injury.
Harlequins v Worcester, 3pm
Flanker CHRIS ROBSHAW returns to the Quins’ starting XV after recovering from a broken hand. Will Skinner and Nick Easter, who both passed late fitness tests, will start alongside Robshaw in the back row. The England Saxon pairing of Adrian Jarvis and Danny Care will start as the half-backs.
Worcester make four changes to the XV who lost 19-6 to Saracens, recalling scrum-half Ryan Powell and fly-half James Brown. The Warriors are still looking for their first away win of the Guinness Premiership.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17
Bristol v Gloucester, 3pm
Left winger DAVID LEMI is in the Bristol team after flying back from Samoa and replaces the injured Tom Arscott. Brian O'Riordan is recalled at scrum-half while hooker Scott Linklater starts ahead of Mark Regan.
England trio LESLEY VAINIKOLO, Iain Balshaw and Luke Narraway join Scotland’s Chris Paterson, Italy’s Marco Bortolami and Carlos Nieto and Gareth Delve of Wales in a much-changed Gloucester line-up.
London Irish v Leicester, 1.15pm
SHANE GERAGHTY returns to the London Irish team after international duty, while Saxons Delon Armitage, Nick Kennedy, David Paice and Topsy Ojo also feature. Mike Catt is benched after recovering from a seven-week lay-off.
Leicester Tigers welcome back internationals BEN KAY, Martin Castrogiovanni, James Hamilton, and Geordan Murphy to their starting line-up. Prop Boris Stankovich returns from injury while Ben Kayser takes over from George Chuter at hooker, with Tom Croft moving from the second row to the blindside flank.
Newcastle v Saracens, 3pm
Newcastle Falcons’ team will feature Six Nations players JONNY WILKINSON, Toby Flood, Jamie Noon and Mathew Tait, as well as England Saxons players Phil Dowson, Ben Woods, Lee Dickson, Andy Long, John Rudd and Jon Golding.
Saracens welcome back captain Neil de Kock and Andy Farrell, who had both been injured. Cencus Johnston, Kevin Yates, Kameli Ratuvou, David Seymour and Paul Gustard also return to the starting line-up.
ALEX CROCKETT returns from England Saxons duty to captain Bath. Full internationals Lee Mears, Michael Lipman and Matt Stevens will also feature after Six Nations commitments, but Steve Borthwick is injured. It will be prop David Barnes’ 200th game for the club.
Wasps welcome back 11 internationals, including fly-half DANNY CIPRIANI, locks Simon Shaw and Saxons’ Tom Palmer and Back rower James Haskell. Winger Paul Sackey faces a fitness test on this thumb, while Phil Vickery will pair up with Tim Payne. No8 Joe Hart will skipper the side with Lawrence Dallaglio ruled out with a rib injury.
Harlequins v Worcester, 3pm
Flanker CHRIS ROBSHAW returns to the Quins’ starting XV after recovering from a broken hand. Will Skinner and Nick Easter, who both passed late fitness tests, will start alongside Robshaw in the back row. The England Saxon pairing of Adrian Jarvis and Danny Care will start as the half-backs.
Worcester make four changes to the XV who lost 19-6 to Saracens, recalling scrum-half Ryan Powell and fly-half James Brown. The Warriors are still looking for their first away win of the Guinness Premiership.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17
Bristol v Gloucester, 3pm
Left winger DAVID LEMI is in the Bristol team after flying back from Samoa and replaces the injured Tom Arscott. Brian O'Riordan is recalled at scrum-half while hooker Scott Linklater starts ahead of Mark Regan.
England trio LESLEY VAINIKOLO, Iain Balshaw and Luke Narraway join Scotland’s Chris Paterson, Italy’s Marco Bortolami and Carlos Nieto and Gareth Delve of Wales in a much-changed Gloucester line-up.
London Irish v Leicester, 1.15pm
SHANE GERAGHTY returns to the London Irish team after international duty, while Saxons Delon Armitage, Nick Kennedy, David Paice and Topsy Ojo also feature. Mike Catt is benched after recovering from a seven-week lay-off.
Leicester Tigers welcome back internationals BEN KAY, Martin Castrogiovanni, James Hamilton, and Geordan Murphy to their starting line-up. Prop Boris Stankovich returns from injury while Ben Kayser takes over from George Chuter at hooker, with Tom Croft moving from the second row to the blindside flank.
Newcastle v Saracens, 3pm
Newcastle Falcons’ team will feature Six Nations players JONNY WILKINSON, Toby Flood, Jamie Noon and Mathew Tait, as well as England Saxons players Phil Dowson, Ben Woods, Lee Dickson, Andy Long, John Rudd and Jon Golding.
Saracens welcome back captain Neil de Kock and Andy Farrell, who had both been injured. Cencus Johnston, Kevin Yates, Kameli Ratuvou, David Seymour and Paul Gustard also return to the starting line-up.
Labels: Guinness Premiership, rugby union
