PREM Rugby: Team news for Round 17

While Northampton Saints, Bath, and Leicester Tigers have already secured their places in the top four, attention now turns to the battle for home semi-final advantage, with just a few points separating the leading trio.

Saints currently sit top of the table, with Bath and Leicester close behind, setting up a potentially defining showdown on the final day at The Rec that could decide who earns a home semi-final.

There are also three teams in with a chance of securing the final play-off spot, with Exeter Chiefs, Saracens and Bristol Bears all in contention.

With momentum, selection calls, and squad depth now more important than ever, this weekend’s team news offers a clear indication of how each side is preparing for the run-in, and who looks best placed to finish the regular season strongly.

Bristol Bears: 15.⁠ ⁠⁠Noah Heward, 14.⁠ ⁠⁠Louis Rees-Zammit, 13. Matias Moroni , 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 11. Kalaveti Ravouvou, 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Harry Randall; 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. George Kloska, 4. James Dun, 5. Joe Batley, 6. Joe Owen, 7. Fitz Harding (c), 8. Santiago Grondona

Replacements: 16.⁠ ⁠Tomas Gwilliam, 17.⁠ ⁠⁠Jake Woolmore, 18.⁠ ⁠⁠Max Lahiff, 19.⁠ ⁠⁠Jimmy Halliwell, 20.⁠ ⁠⁠George Taylor, 21.⁠ ⁠⁠Kieran Marmion, 22.⁠ ⁠⁠Tom Jordan, 23.⁠ ⁠⁠Jack Bates

Bath Rugby: 15 Santi Carreras, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 Ciaran Donoghue, 9 Ben Spencer; 1 Beno Obano, 2 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Ted Hill, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ethan Staddon, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Sam Underhill

Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Vilikesa Sela, 19 Ewan Richards, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Cameron Redpath, 23 Alfie Barbeary

Saracens: 15. Max Malins, 14. Noah Caluori, 13. Nick Tompkins, 12. Olly Hartley, 11. Tobias Elliott, 10. Fergus Burke, 9. Charlie Bracken; 1. Eroni Mawi, 2. Jamie George, 3. Marcus Street, 4. Maro Itoje (c), 5. Hugh Tizard, 6. Nick Isiekwe, 7. Ben Earl, 8. Tom Willis

Replacements: 16. Theo Dan, 17. Rhys Carre, 18. Alec Clarey, 19. Theo McFarland, 20. Nathan Michelow, 21. Ivan Van Zyl, 22. Owen Farrell, 23. Jack Bracken

Harlequins: 15. Jamie Benson, 14. Cameron Anderson, 13. Sean Kerr, 12. Bryn Bradley, 11. Cadan Murley, 10. Marcus Smith, 9. Will Porter; 1. Will Hobson, 2. Sam Riley, 3. Pedro Delgado, 4. Zach Carr, 5. Elliot Williams, 6. Chandler Cunningham-South, 7. Jack Kenningham, 8. Alex Dombrandt (c)

Replacements: 16. Jack Musk, 17. Boris Wenger, 18. Ollie Streeter, 19. Jonny Green, 20. Seb Driscoll, 21. Will Evans, 22. Stu Townsend, 23. Cassius Cleaves

Northampton Saints: 15. George Furbank (c), 14. Tommy Freeman, 13. Tom Litchfield, 12. Rory Hutchinson, 11. George Hendy, 10. Fin Smith, 9. Archie McParland; 1. Emmanuel Iyogun, 2. Robbie Smith, 3. Luke Green, 4. Alex Coles, 5. Ed Prowse, 6. Tom Pearson, 7. Henry Pollock, 8. Callum Chick

Replacements: 16. Craig Wright, 17. Danilo Fischetti, 18. Elliot Millar Mills, 19. Tom Lockett, 20. Sam Graham, 21. Jonny Weimann, 22. Fraser Dingwall, 23. James Ramm

Gloucester Rugby: 15. Ben Redshaw, 14. Ollie Thorley, 13. Max Llewellyn, 12. Seb Atkinson (c), 11. Ben Loader, 10. Charlie Atkinson, 9. Caolan Englefield; 1. Ciaran Knight, 2. Seb Blake, 3. Afo Fasogbon, 4. Arthur Clark, 5. Freddie Thomas, 6. Deian Gwynne, 7. Jame Venter, 8. Will Trenholm

Replacements: 16. Jack Innard, 17. Dian Bleuler, 18. Nepo Laulala, 19. Matias Alemanno, 20. Jack Clement, 21. Mikey Austin, 22. Will Knight, 23. Josiah Edwards-Giraud

Newcastle Red Bulls: 15. Ethan Grayson, 14. Christian Wade, 13. Alex Hearle, 12. Sammy Arnold, 11. Harrison Obatoyinbo, 10. Brett Connon, 9. Simón Benítez Cruz; 1. Connor Hancock, 2. George McGuigan (c), 3. Richard Palframan, 4. Jamie Hodgson, 5. Adam Scott, 6. Ollie Leatherbarrow, 7. Tom Christie, 8. Amanaki Mafi

Replacements: 16. Ollie Fletcher, 17. Jamie Clark, 18. Murray McCallum, 19. Tim Cardall, 20. Freddie Lockwood, 21. James Elliott, 22. Ben Healy, 23. Cameron Hutchison

Sale Sharks: 15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Luke James, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2. Alfie Longstaff, 3. James Harper, 4. Ernst van Rhyn (c), 5. Ben Bamber, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Seb Kelly, 8. Reuben Logan

Replacements: 16. Wills Austin, 17. Ralph McEachran, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Hyron Andrews, 20. Tristan Woodman, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Ollie Davies, 23. Tom O’Flaherty

Leicester Tigers: 15. George Pearson, 14. Adam Radwan, 13. Will Wand, 12. Orlando Bailey, 11. Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10. Charlie Titcombe, 9. Jack van Poortvliet; 1. Nicky Smith, 2. Jamie Blamire, 3. Joe Heyes, 4. George Martin, 5. Ollie Chessum (c), 6. Hanro Liebenberg, 7. Tommy Reffell, 8. Joaquin Moro

Replacements: 16. Charlie Clare, 17. Archie van der Flier, 18. Will Hurd, 19. Cameron Henderson, 20. Hamish Watson, 21. Olly Cracknell, 22. Tom Whiteley, 23. Solomone Kata

Exeter Chiefs: 15. Olly Woodburn, 14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Len Ikitau, 11. Campbell Ridl, 10. Harvey Skinner, 9. Stephen Varney; 1. Scott Sio, 2. Max Norey, 3. Josh Iosefa-Scott, 4. Dafydd Jenkins (c), 5. Andrea Zambonin, 6. Tom Hooper, 7. Ethan Roots, 8. Greg Fisilau

Replacements: 16. Joseph Dweba, 17. Ethan Burger, 18. Bachuki Tchumbadze, 19. Rusi Tuima, 20. Christ Tshiunza, 21. Tom Cairns, 22. Zack Wimbush, 23. Paul Brown-Bampoe