Guinness Premiership Previews: Week One

That pub in the first post also sells Guinness.  Wow!

Yep, the Premiership begins tomorrow.  While football fans have had a month of action already (OK, I count myself among those), we've been waiting for what seems like an eternity for the rugby to get underway.  It's here, finally.  Nearly.  [Paul Kelly]

London Irish vs Harlequins, Tomorrow 2pm

The first game of a Twickenham double-header sees last season's surprise package take on the promoted Harlequins.  Now, I didn't make myself universally popular the last time I posted about Quins, but everyone has their opinions, so that's OK.  For Irish, the phrase "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies to their starting line-up, with one new face in prop Tonga Lea'aetoa.  For the rest, it's as you were.  The Quins 22 contains seven new faces, although unfortunately for Dean Richards he's had to keep his old one.  Hate mail to paulkelly78@hotmail.com, guys.  (I'm just kidding, by the way - you should see me, I have a face like a bag of mucus, I have nothing to mock Deano for.)  Of the newcomers, Paul Volley is captain, while Hal Luscombe and Stuart Abbott form an all-new centre partnership.  The Premiership's second-best named player (behind Census Johnson), Nicolas Spanghero, also debuts at lock, for what will be a fascinating battle with Irish's tough second row.

Gloucester vs Bath, Tomorrow 3pm

It's hard not to feel for Bath.  Last season the first three games were lost, and there was a relegation cloud over the team until the closing weeks of the season, allowing for an excellent second half under Brian Ashton.  So with that confidence boost taking them into the new season, what does the fixture computer do?  Gives them an away trip to a Gloucester side which looks strong in all departments.  Iain Balshaw makes his Glaws debut, along with Willie Walker, new captain Marco Bortolami, and prop Christian Califano.  The backs who developed into a fearsome group in the closing weeks of last season remain in place, and Bath have to find a way to get through them.  Well, the visitors are strong up front, but in the backs they aren't quite on a par with Gloucester.  There are danger men in there though, chiefly Olly Barkley and Andy Higgins.  Both will need to fire tomorrow to prevent a stinging defeat.

Worcester vs Bristol, Tomorrow 3pm

That this fixture is taking place on the opening weekend of the Premiership will fill Harlequins hearts with hope.  The two teams that preceded them into the Premiership have remained there to duke it out tomorrow.  Worcester in particular have shown that they don't have to fear the big boys, having easily avoided the slide back down.  They give home debuts to Nick Best and Marcel Garvey, the latter hoping to restart a promising career that stalled at Gloucester.  Pat Sanderson gives them international presence.  Bris have an excellent half-back set, with Shaun Perry fresh from England duty and Jason Strange a goal-kicker of no little repute.  Captain Brian Lima misses out, and ex-All Black David Hill isn't ready to make his debut, but this one will be close.

Saracens vs Wasps, Tomorrow 4.20pm

The team that came good late on to avoid relegation vs the team that showed a vulnerability that we didn't suspect.  OK, it's not exactly a snappy tag line, but who asked you?  A debut goes to Fabio Ongaro, whose name is actually the Italian for "Yes, we signed Shane Byrne at just the wrong time".  Alongside Cobus Visagie, the Italian hooker makes the Saracens scrum look pretty solid.  In the backs, a debut for Argentine wing Tomas de Vedia gives a burst of pace to Sarries' attack.  For Wasps, Raphael Ibanez makes his captaincy debut in the absence of Lawrence Dallaglio.  Simon Amor starts at scrum-half, letting Eoin Reddan know that another good season may well be rewarded with further time on the bench, behind a man who's very good at Sevens.  Mark van Gisbergen misses out with a broken jaw, meaning fly-half Alex King will take the place-kicks.  If he gets injured, Jeremy Staunton is the replacement.  The London Stock Exchange has greeted this news with the single mystifying phrase "BUY BUY BUY CRASH HELMETS!!!"  Oh, and for some reason Josh Lewsey's on the wing.  Wasps will still win though.  Life's like that sometimes.

Northampton vs Newcastle, Sunday 1.45pm

13 Englishmen in the starting line-up for Newcastle, 13 Englishmen in the stadium for Saints.  It's little things like that which make the world a fascinating place.  (Saints fans, I'm kidding.  A bit.)  Anyway, the injury to Matthew Tait should give Saints an edge here.  With Carlos Spencer at 10 and Ben Cohen and Sean Lamont on the wings, this game has at least some of the ingredients for excitement.  Jonny Wilkinson starts for Newcastle, and will be looking to make 100% of his kicks at goal.  Bruce Reihana starts for Northampton, and will be looking to keep his kicks at goal from doing too much damage to low-flying aircraft.  Though John Fletcher has done wonders with Newcastle's Academy, the challenge of making them a well-oiled try-scoring machine will be a tough one.  And it'll take time, so I reckon this one goes to Northampton.

Leicester vs Sale, Sunday 4pm

The weekend's action is rounded off with a rematch of last season's play-off final.  Except this time it's at Welford Road, which would have helped Tigers immeasurably last time out.  Debuts are kept to a premium, with prop Martin Castrogiovanni playing for Tigers, and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe on the bench for Sale.  Matt Cornwell is the main surprise in Leicester's line-up, starting at outside-centre alongside Darryl Gibson.  The two teams are extremely evenly-matched, both boasting powerful, fast backs and combative back rows.  The line-outs will be keenly contested, too, though Tigers may have an edge in the scrum.  But they might not.  The game, to be fair, could go either way.  Although it could be a draw.  It's hard to say.  Tigers to have the edge, by three or less.