Gallagher Premiership Weekend: Your ultimate guide to Round 11 as Leicester Tigers entertain London Irish

BT Sport brings you live coverage of two intriguing domestic showdowns as the Gallagher Premiership returns from its week-long break with Round 11. 

Pacesetters Saracens, leading the way in the race to be crowned kings of English rugby, sit this weekend out on a bye.

With the five-time winners taking a well-earned rest, it's an opportunity for Sale and the rest of the chasing pack to reduce the 18-point gap to the runaway league leaders.

Read on for a preview of every game plus live stream and TV channel information.

Friday 25 November

Harlequins vs Gloucester - 7.45pm kick-off

It's fourth against fifth as the Gallagher Premiership returns with a double header of Friday-night action.

Harlequins, playing their first league game for almost a month, entertain top-four rivals Gloucester in the pick of the two evening games, with Newcastle and Exeter also in action.

Quins defeated local rivals London Irish 26-24 in their last outing at the end of October, with George Head crossing for a dramatic late game-winning try.

Now Tabai Matson's side are eyeing a third straight league win for the first time since April with Gloucester the visitors to The Stoop.

Having put together four wins on the bounce, the Cherry and Whites are looking to snap a two-game losing streak after being beaten by struggling Newcastle at home last time out. 

George Skivington's men have found it tough going against Quins in recent years, losing their last six league encounters, with their last victory at The Stoop came all the way back in 2006.

The two sides last met at Twickenham in May in Harlequins’ inaugural Big Summer Kick Off, with the home side launching a trademark comeback from 24-7 down at half-time to win 28-24.

There is just one point between the two sides in the table, but both have two games in hand on Northampton Saints and sit just two and three points behind respectively going into a weekend which could see significant movement in the top four places.  

Newcastle Falcons vs Exeter Chiefs - 7.45pm kick-off

Elsewhere on Friday night it's north versus south as Newcastle entertain Exeter. 

The Chiefs make the long trip to Tyneside in a clash between two sides that claimed crucial victories in Round 10. 

Friday's hosts Falcons won just their second match of the season at Kingsholm, lifting them up to ninth in the table, their highest position this term.

Having picked up their first victory since September, Dave Walder's side will be looking to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they go in search of only their second home win all year. 

Meanwhile Rob Baxter's Chiefs head north having defeated London Irish 22-17 last time out to keep them firmly in the hunt for a semi-final berth.

Kingston Park has made for a happy hunting ground for Exeter, with the Devonians winning on eight of their last 10 visits to Tyneside.

In fact, Exeter have lost only once to Newcastle in any competition since January 2018.

Chiefs won 15-14 at Kingston Park last season when Joe Simmonds knocked over a 76th minute penalty and Falcons will be hoping to bring their form from last time out to overcome Chiefs this time around.

Saturday 26 November

Sale Sharks vs Bristol Bears - 12pm (1pm KO), BT Sport 1 & BT Sport Ultimate

Watch live stream from 12pm

Saturday’s sole fixture sees two sides at opposite ends of the table go head-to-head as second-placed Sale Sharks host Bristol Bears.

It's been a tale of two seasons for both sides, with Sale challenging at the top of the table while Bristol sit 10th in the pile despite an encouraging start.

Bears began 2022/23 in style winning their opening two matches, but have since lost five matches on the spin, including a 25-10 defeat to league leaders Saracens last time out. 

Meanwhile Sale started the season unbeaten with five wins on the bounce.

But that winning came to an end with back-to-back defeats to title rivals Harlequins and Saracens, before Alex Sanderson's men returned to winning ways with a 27-17 win against Gloucester in Round 9. 

Pat Lam’s side endured a torrid afternoon in their last visit to Sale in the final round of last season, losing 42-19 as Sharks ran in six tries. 

Sunday 27 November

Leicester Tigers vs London Irish - 2pm (3pm KO), BT Sport 1 & BT Sport Ultimate

Watch live stream from 2pm

The curtain falls on another Premiership weekend at the home of the champions as Leicester look to address a worrying slump in form.

Last season’s champions have won just three of their opening seven matches and the defence of their crown continues to stutter.

Tigers became only the third side to lose to Bath, slipping to a 19-18 defeat to their old rivals a fortnight ago. 

Defeat to Sale in Round 5 ended their 15-match home unbeaten run  but Tigers will take heart from their recent record against London Irish.

The champions have won their last three Premiership matches against the Exiles, last losing to the west Londoners back in 2020.

Meanwhile Irish sit bottom of the table having won just one match so far.

The Exiles will take some solace in the fact that four of their last six defeats have been decided by seven points or fewer, but their away form remains a concern.

Irish have lost their last six Premiership games on the road since beating Newcastle back in April.