Gallagher Premiership return predictions: Bath, Bristol, Saracens, Wasps results

Some big stars have joined the league, others have left and there have been some high-profile transfers, with most deals going through on 1 July.

It leaves a unique situation of squads built for the 2020-21 season playing out the elongated 2019-20 campaign.

Here, RUCK scribe Oliver Roby predicts the results:

It's been five months since we've seen any Premiership Rugby action so it's fair to say form counts for pretty much nothing this weekend.

Quins had been largely underwhelming prior to the postponement of the season sitting in seventh and having lost eight of their 13 games so far, meanwhile Sale were flying high in second having racked up an impressive 40 points from their 13 fixtures to date.

The Greater Manchester outfit have also made a notable addition to their squad in the form of Manu Tuilagi and look well set for a strong end to the season. Champions in waiting?

Prediction: Sale by 15

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 James Lang, 11 Nathan Earle, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Martin Landajo; 1 Joe Marler, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Simon Kerrod, 4 Stephen Lewies, 5 Matt Symons, 6 James Chisholm, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 8 Alex Dombrant.

 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19 James Phillips, 20 Ben Curry, 21 Will Cliff, 22 AJ MacGinty, 23 Denny Solomona.

Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Will Collier, 19 Dino Lamb, 20 Tom Lawday, 21 Will Evans, 22 Scott Steele, 23 Paul Lasike.

Sale Sharks: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Byron McGuigan, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Marland Yarde, 10 Rob du Preez, 9 Faf de Klerk; 1 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 3 Will-Griff John, 4 Jean-Luc du Preez, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Jono Ross (c) 7 Tom Curry, 8 Daniel du Preez.

Two clubs languishing at the wrong end of the table but safe from relegation, this could arguably be one of the most entertaining games of the restart weekend.

Gloucester sit just a place and four points above the Warriors so this one is hard to predict. An absorbing contest could be in store, and don't be surprised to see some serious points as two sides with nothing to lose and everything to gain go head to head.

Prediction: Worcester by 3

Worcester: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Tom Howe, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Scott van Breda, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Matt Kvesic, 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Ted Hill (c), 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Ethan Waller
Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Lewis Holsey, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 GJ van Velze, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Francois Venter

Gloucester: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Ollie Thorley, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Jonny May, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Joe Simpson, 8 Jake Polledri, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Freddie Clarke, 4 Ed Slater, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Jack Singleton, 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Jack Stanley, 19 Matt Garvey, 20 Jack Clement, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Tom Seabrook, 23 Louis Rees-Zammit

Exeter Chiefs were imperious prior to lockdown and top the table with 45 points. Meanwhile, the less said the better about Leicester this year.

Tigers are only spared bottom spot by Saracens' points deduction and don't look like they have the tools to trouble the Chiefs this weekend.

If Exeter, the league's top point-scorers, are in the mood, there could be a huge gulf in class on Saturday.

Prediction: Exeter by 32

Worcester: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Tom Howe, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Scott van Breda, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Matt Kvesic, 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Ted Hill (c), 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Ethan Waller
Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Lewis Holsey, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 GJ van Velze, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Francois Venter

Gloucester: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Ollie Thorley, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Jonny May, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Joe Simpson, 8 Jake Polledri, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Freddie Clarke, 4 Ed Slater, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Jack Singleton, 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Jack Stanley, 19 Matt Garvey, 20 Jack Clement, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Tom Seabrook, 23 Louis Rees-Zammit

It could be said that London Irish have been the surprise package of the 2019/20 season, having cracked a positive Premiership season after promotion from the second tier.

They could go ahead of Bath with a win this weekend and have shown already this season that they have what it takes to grapple with the big guns - their draw with Bristol back in December standing out.

They were overturned 38-10 on home turf by Bath earlier in the year and will be keen to avenge that result and give their outside chances of a play-off berth a shot in the arm.

Prediction: London Irish by 3

Bath: 15 Anthony Watson, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Zach Mercer, 5 Charlie Ewels (c), 4 Josh McNally, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Lewis Boyce.
Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Christian Judge, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Cameron Redpath, 23 Tom de Glanville

London Irish: 15 Tom Parton, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Terrence Hepetema, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Albert Tuisue, 7 Seán O’Brien (c), 6 Matt Rogerson, 5 George Nott, 4 Ben Donnell, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Motu Matu’u, 1 Harry Elrington
Replacements: 16 Matt Cornish, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Blair Cowan, 21 Ben Meehan, 22 Theo Brophy Clews, 23 Matt Williams

Venue: The Rec

The prospects of this burgeoning Bristol side only seem to get more and more ominous as the weeks go by, and this tie pits them against the relegated giants in Saracens.

The Bears arguably have one of the most star-studded line-ups in world rugby and will no doubt have the credentials to topple Sarries here and get their title challenge back underway.

Can Bristol fill the Saracens void and challenge Exeter for the title while they are away?

Prediction: Bristol by 10

Bristol: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 Siale Piutau, 11 Henry Purdy, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 5 Chris Vui, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 John Afoa, 2 Bryan Byrne, 1 Jake Woolmore
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Ed Holmes, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Alapati Leiua

Saracens: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Dom Morris, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Alex Goode, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Jackson Wray, 6 Mike Rhodes, 5 Callum Hunter-Hill, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Sean Reffell, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Harry Sloan, 23 Elliott Obatoyinbo

A mouth-watering prospect is in store here as two sides on either side of the play-off threshold line up.

Fourth-placed Saints sit just two points above their fifth-placed opponents this weekend and will have their work cut out to keep hold of their play off spot beyond the weekend.

Both Northampton and Wasps had been scoring at will this season prior to lockdown, while both sides have endured porous defensive records this year.

This game could be the clash of the weekend with points galore guaranteed. A high-scoring draw is our prediction.

Prediction: Draw

Northampton: 15 George Furbank, 14 Harry Mallinder, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Ahsee Tuala, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Teimana Harrison (c), 7 Lewis Ludlam, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Api Ratuniyarawa, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Francois van Wyk
Replacements: 16 Sam Matavesi, 17 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Alex Coles, 20 JJ Tonks, 21 Henry Taylor, 22 Matt Proctor, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro

Wasps: 15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Brad Shields, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Jack Willis, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Ben Harris
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Tom West, 18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 19 James Gaskell, 20 Sione Vailanu, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Ryan Mills