So here we are, previewing the round that for most clubs will be their last outing before their summer breaks. The 2015/16 season has been one of the most brutal in terms of its back-to-back nature and it’s a credit to all of our Premiership sides that the standard of the competition has remained incredibly high throughout.
As always when it comes to Round 22 all of the matches will kick-off at the same time, 3.30pm, and roughly eighty minutes later we’ll know the final make-up of the two semi-finals and which sides will compete in next year’s Champions Cup.
Leicester will be hoping to turn the tables on what happened this time last year when they head to the Recreation Ground. Bath's position is a very different one to 12 months ago but I expect motivation will be extremely high to salvage a spot of pride on home soil. In Round 21 Leicester were pushed hard by Worcester and after the game Aaron Mauger said that they’d be ‘taking stock’ of their squad ahead of this fixture. The question lingering from that is whether he makes rotating players or not? The last four encounters between the two clubs have all been won by the home side on the day but confidence, and table positions, dictate that Leicester go into the game with an advantage over their hosts.
Jim Mallinder’s side know that only a victory will suffice in order to try and ensure Champions Cup rugby for next season. On home soil Saints fought back hard against Bath and have to show the same level of resolve and character in the intimidating atmosphere that is Kingsholm. Gloucester’s away win against Sale Sharks was everything that we’d hope to see from them and if they can add another victory to their last two then they’ll have finally found their illusive consistency. Personally I’m looking forward to seeing the individual performances of Matt Kvesic and Teimana Harrison both of which should be on England’s radar in one form or another and of course we’ll all wait to see if Dylan Hartley is fit to take to the field. The form book favours Gloucester as Northampton’s only away win since early February was on 5th March while the Cherry and Whites have lost just one of their last five Premiership fixtures at Kingsholm.
At the Twickenham Stoop both Harlequins and Rob Baxter’s Exeter Chiefs have plenty to play for and it should make for a scintillating match up. Harlequins want to have Champions Cup rugby in the bag before they head out to Lyon for their Challenge Cup Final but would need a bonus-point to guarantee it. On the flip side Exeter want to ensure that their first semi-final appearance occurs on home soil. The Chiefs’ performance last weekend was highly impressive, Wasps cancelled out their weapon of the driving maul but Rob Baxter’s side patiently developed their scores and defended brilliantly. At the Madejski Harlequins took the opportunity to rest a number of individuals and as a result will be ready to fire on all four cylinders this weekend. Harlequins will need to be at their inventive best in order to fox Exeter’s defence and in South West London we should see two sides performing at their peak with everything to play for.
The Newcastle Falcons and Sale Sharks would have experienced vastly contrasting emotions at the end of Round 21’s. Falcons secured their place at the Premiership table next year and would have finally beeen satsified while the Sale Sharks would have been desolate at letting their unbeaten home record slip. A victory could see Sale Sharks finish as high as fifth in table, if both Northampton and Harlequins lose, and they’ve won their last four Premiership Rugby encounters with Newcastle. Newcastle don’t have anything discernible to play for but they will want to give their home fans a positive finale to the season. In order to secure a home victory Newcastle will need to be at their very best for the full eighty and stifle the significant threats housed in Sale’s back line. 
At the Ricoh Arena Wasps have the opportunity to rub salt into a very open London Irish shaped wound. After their relegation last weekend this week will be a huge test for Tom Coventry and his side, for the last thing that they’ll want to be doing is heading to face a side that have the capability to put them to the sword. Wasps were flat in attack last weekend and know that they need to reignite their spark this weekend in order to head into their semi-final confident and on song. Potentially Dai Young will rest a few weary bodies, and if he does then you can’t blame him for it’s been a long season. Wasps have recorded a try-scoring bonus-point on their last three meetings with Irish and it’s a safe bet to assume that they will do so again in Round 22
The final game to preview will be held at Sixways where Dean Ryan’s Worcester Warriors will be hosting Saracens. Saracens’ reward for a highly productive 21 rounds of rugby is knowing that they’ve already secured a home semi-final. This knowledge means that Mark McCall has the luxury of being able to rest his big guns ahead of their European Champions Cup Final and the Premiership semi-final beyond that. Worcester’s outing at Welford Road impressed me, they put behind them their porous defensive display against Wasps and were physical and on point. In all honesty the result is immaterial to Saracens and I expect a competitive match to occur in which the home side put their best foot forward and Saracens’ showcase their squad depth.
Round 22 - Schedule
All fixtures 3.30pm kick-offs
Bath v Leicester Tigers - The Recreation Ground
Gloucester Rugby v Northampton Saints - Kingsholm (BT Sport 1)
Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs - The Stoop (BT Sport 2)
Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks - Kingston Park
Wasps v London Irish - Ricoh Arena
Worcester Warriors v Saracens - Sixways
