The five matches stretch out across Christmas like this:
Saturday 18 December
DMP Durham Sharks v Exeter, 12.00
Loughborough Lightning v Bristol Bears, 14.00
Sunday 19 December
Sale Sharks v Saracens, 14.00
Worcester Warriors v Gloucester-Hartpury, 14.30
Monday 27 December
Harlequins v Wasps, 14.15 at Twickenham Stadium
Coverage this Weekend
Saturday: the Loughborough game will be shown on premier15s.com starting at 13.45
Sunday: the Worcester game will be shown live on @BBCiPlayer starting 14.15
Bears have another test of their strength as they visit Leicestershire on Saturday. They only just squeezed past Warriors last week, while Lightning enjoyed a clear defeat of Sale Sharks. In an interesting move Helen Nelson and Helena Rowland switch positions for the hosts.
There’s a juicy M5 derby at Sixways on Sunday. Warriors came so close to defeating table-toppers Bristol Bears last week, but they face a Glos-Pury side still buoyed by a goodwill visit from Maggie Alphonsi and a hard-fought victory in Devon last week.
Sale have met Sarries three times without managing a win. But last March they did put 18 points on them; that’s the sort of target Katy Daley-Mclean might like to set them on Sunday, as Sarries are bound to come out firing after their loss at home to Quins in Round 8.
Quins and Wasps must wait patiently for their ‘big sell’ to take place at Twickenham Stadium two days after Christmas, but the ticket sales promise a new world record attendance for a club match, a huge achievement.
It’s a pity it can’t count as the ultimate stand-alone winner in the Gate Stakes, as the afternoon is a double-header, Quins men taking on Northampton Saints later.
Once the round is complete, it marks the halfway point in the journey. Although there is a 9-point gap between first and fourth place (Bears and Wasps), it’s tighter for that all-important fourth place, which opens the door to a possible championship win. Any club in the top half of the league able to put out a full-strength side could carry finals day.
