Army players are not just featuring in the Premiership and Premier 15s this weekend, but are all making starts for their respective clubs!
Pte Ratu ‘Siva’ Naulago’s (Yorks) reward for his try-scoring substitute appearance against Scarlets last time out is his first start of the season as Bristol welcome Newcastle Falcons to Ashton Gate.
Pte Naulago may have missed the entire season to date, but his running line and perfect timing to accelerate onto Steven Luatua’s offload was as if he had played every minute of every match.
Bristol will be looking to use that Champions Cup result in Wales as a springboard for their Premiership campaign, which has underwhelmed to date. Indeed, Bristol go into Saturday’s match sitting 11th in the table, but should the hosts be victorious they will leapfrog a Falcons outfit which is without an on-field Premiership win since mid-October – ironically against the Bears.
Kick off at Ashton Gate is at 1400hrs.
Another west country-based player to have impressed last time out is LCpl Semesa Rokoduguni (Scots DG), who helped Bath extend their Premiership run of wins to two against Harlequins last Friday night.
LCpl Rokoduguni continues at full back for Saturday’s trip to Saracens, but even with the hosts missing a number of internationals Bath will have to overcome the form guide to take a win home from Allianz Park.
It has been a year since Bath had three successive Premiership wins and they have not been victorious on the road since March 2021. Not only that, but Bath have not won on Saracens’ soil since 2010.
Kick off at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday is 1500hrs.
In the Premier 15s Wasps will be looking to use the bounce of their late equalizer against in-form Exeter Chiefs when they travel to DMP Durham Sharks on Saturday lunchtime.
Capt Gemma Rowland (RA) starts at outside centre for the long trip to the north east, and the travellers will be seeking a similar result to that experienced at Twyford Avenue in December, which Wasps won 70-0.
Wasps also need a maximum haul to stay in touch with the top four, as they are six points behind fifth-placed Harlequins, who include Bdr Bethan Dainton (RA) in their starting line-up for their massive London derby against Saracens at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday.
Bdr Dainton retains her place in the back row for the repeat of the 2021 final, which is being live streamed on the BBC Sport website.
Saracens head to south-west London top of the table with only the one defeat from their 12 matches, against Harlequins in mid-December. The result that day is one of Harlequins’ five wins from their last six matches, and with ticket sales approaching the 4,000 mark a cracking atmosphere is expected for ‘The Game Changer’.
Harlequins’ Head Coach Gerard Mullen is expecting a tough afternoon, commenting: “It’s probably been the forefront fixture in the Premier 15s and we know they will want a huge amount of revenge off the back of the last two results against them, where we obviously won the title and beat them at the StoneX Stadium.”
Kick off at the Twickenham Stoop is at 1400hrs, while Wasps’ game at DMP Durham Sharks kicks off at 1230hrs.
Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks. Header and Featured Images – Army Rugby Union © Andrew Fosker
