The Under 18 Aviva Premiership continues this week, with Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs topping the billing.
The two sides go head to head at Surrey Sports Park on Saturday afternoon in a battle for top spot in the Southern Conference. The Chiefs currently sit at the top of the conference on fifteen points with Harlequins and London Irish both just a point behind them.
Quins and the Chiefs have a game in hand over Irish though so a win on Saturday would put either side in a strong position with just two more rounds to follow.
The weekend’s action all kicks off this evening though with a bottom of the table duel in the Southern Conference between London Wasps and Bristol. They are sat 6th and 7th in the table with just a bonus point apiece, however Wasps have the advantage of still having a game in hand over their rivals. The game is being played on the 4G pitch at Maidenhead RFC (Braywick Road), which should suit Wasps who have played on it a few times now this season.
Sticking with the Southern Conference, the action there is rounded off on Saturday at 14.00 with Saracens trip to Bath at Lambridge. The two sides are sitting pretty in mid table, with Saracens holing a one point advantage and a game in hand.
Bath have been looking strong though and a thrilling draw against London Irish ought to fill them with confidence ahead of this, despite the late equalizing penalty from Irish. Saracens will be confident too though; they put 50 past Bristol last weekend.
Up in the Northern Conference, Glocuester will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table when they welcome Sale to Hartpury College. The Cherry and Whites went head to head with Leicester Tigers last weekend and became the first side since the inception of this competition to beat Leicester, suggesting that they will take some stopping on Sunday.
Northampton Saints can still keep the pressure on Glocuester and Leicester though, they have a game in hand so their five point deficit is not quite what it seems. A victory over the winless Newcastle Falcons at Penrith RFC tomorrow would elevate them to second in the table.
Like Newcastle, Worcester are also looking for a first victory of the season and will be hoping that they can achieve it at home against Leeds Carnegie tomorrow. The Warriors managed a draw against Sale last time out and with the likes of Andrew Boyce and George De Cothi starting this time out they might fancy their chances of chalking up that first victory.
The penultimate round of the league will take place next weekend ahead of a three week break before the final round of this season’s U18 Premiership on the weekend of the 8th February.
Fixtures:
Friday
Wasps v Bristol 19.30, Braywick Road
Saturday
Worcester Warriors v Leeds Carnegie KO & Venue TBA
Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints 12.30, Penrith RFC
Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs 13.30, Surrey Sports Park
Bath v Saracens 14.00, Lambridge
Sunday
Gloucester v Sale Sharks 13.00, Hartpury College
Tables:
U18 Premiership Northern Conference | |||||||
Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BP | Points |
1 | Gloucester | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
2 | Leicester Tigers | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
3 | Northampton Saints | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
4 | Sale Sharks | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
5 | Leeds Carnegie | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
6 | Newcastle Falcons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
7 | Worcester Warriors | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
U18 Premiership Southern Conference | |||||||
Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BP | Points |
1 | Exeter Chiefs | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
2 | London Irish | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 14 |
3 | Harlequins | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
4 | Saracens | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
5 | Bath | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
6 | London Wasps | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
7 | Bristol | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Team News:
London Wasps TBA
Bristol:
Forwards: Panting Player/Harper Baker Gompels Ward Smith Ogden Critch Polledri Tait Boyland Kislingbury.
Backs: Uren Littlewood Mogg Beck Slowik Daly Kilbane Balkham Floyd Caven.
Worcester Warriors:
1 Joe Wrafter
2 Callum Young
3 Charlie Robinson
4 Andrew Kitchener
5 Justin Clegg
6 Shay Kerry
7 Andrew Boyce (c)
8 Will Elt
9 George de Cothi
10 Ben Williams
11 Scott Smith
12 Max Himbury
13 Matt Edwards
14 Ryan Scott-Young
15 Jon Hughes.
Replacements:
16 Trae O’Sullivan
17 Joe White
18 James Page
19 Myles Edwards
20 Piers Morel
21 Luke White
22 Reece Chapman-Carry
23 Reece Beddows.
Leeds Carnegie TBA
Newcastle Falcons:
1 Jake Ellwood (Durham School) 2 Ben Wilkinson (Gosforth Academy) 3 James Orritt (Sedbergh) 4 Theo Nwosu-Hope (QE Hexham School) 5 George Hedgley (Giggleswick) 6 Guy Coser (Barnard Castle) 7 Jonny Coser (Barnard Castle) 8 Callum Chick (Gosforth Academy) 9 Dan Taylor (Durham School) 10 Brett Connon (Austin Friars) 11 Luke Davison (West Lakes College) 12 Luke Wilson (Hartlepool 6th Form College) 13 Tom Small (Hartlepool 6th Form College) 14 Dan Marshall (Gosforth Academy) 15 Dan Osborn (Gosforth Academy).
Replacements: 16 Jack Beckwith (Barnard Castle) 17 Aston Whitlow (Gosforth Academy) 18 Jake Taylor (St Peters School York) 19 Aidan Coulthard (West Lakes College) 20 Shane Armstrong (Jed Thistle RFC) 21 James Christie (Sedbergh) 22 Joe Craggs (Gosforth Academy) 23 Jack Hearn (Dame Allans School).
Northampton Saints:
15 Howard Packman
14 Tristan Rawcliffe
13 Rory Hutchinson
12 Harry Mallinder (capt)
11 Rotimi Segun
10 Harry Sheppard 
9 Michael Morris;
1 Ryan Eveleigh
2 James Fish
3 Jake Byrne
4 Karl Wilkins
5 Josh Peters 6 George Cox
7 Will Allman
8 Lewis Ludlam.
Replacements: 16 Owen Griffiths
17 Harrison Marshall
18 Jordan Onojaife
19 John Hawkins
20 Cameron Lee-Everton
21 Nico Defeo
22 George Furbank.
Harlequins (from):
Forwards – Wilkey, Lockhart-Smith, Adeniran-Olule, Mount, Ibuanopke, Gasson, South, White, Treadwell, Forshaw, Thomas, Cheeseman, Keunan.
Backs – Arnold, Jackson, Saunders, Hogg, Bellamin, Marchant, Sackey, Berry, Simmons, Trowbridge, Aspland-Robinson.
Exeter Chiefs TBA
Bath TBA
Saracens TBA
Gloucester TBA
Sale Sharks TBA
