Premiership make strange last minute law change ahead of rugby return
Rugby NewsFriday, 14 August 2020 at 13:37
It's been revealed that Premiership rugby has banned players from hugging and celebrating tries within two metres of each other.
This is one of a number of strict measures introduced for the league’s long-awaited restart when Harlequins host Sale at the Stoop on Friday night.
Despite the scrums, rucking and mauling, players will also be prohibited from shaking hands, high-fiving and kissing due to protocols designed to ensure social distancing is observed wherever possible.
Sharing equipment is also not allowed and the coin tosses will take place outdoors – most likely on the pitch – and at the water break midway through each half, players will be assigned their own named bottles.
PREMIERSHIP PREDICTIONS:
Friday, 7.45pm
Harlequins vs Sale
Manu Tuilagi
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
Saturday, 12.30pm
Worcester Warriors vs Gloucester
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
Saturday, 2pm
Exeter Chiefs vs Leicester Tigers
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
Saturday, 3pm
Bath vs London Irish
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
Saturday, 4.30pm
Bristol v Saracens
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
Sunday, 3pm
Northampton Saints vs Wasps
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
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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