Premiership Immortals - The Debate Show
Aug 29A true heavyweight tussle headlines another unmissable weekend of Gallagher Premiership action as the quest to be crowned kings of English rugby continues with Round 7.
After an emotional week in which Wasps were forced into administration, five-time winners Saracens meet two-time champions Exeter in the pick of three mouth-watering clashes live on BT Sport.
With another captivating weekend of domestic drama, read on for previews of every Round 7 game including team news and live-stream information for our televised matches.
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Saturday 22 October
Watch live stream from 2.30pm
Saturday sees two giants of the English game square off as two-time Premiership champions Exeter welcome five-time champions Saracens to Sandy Park.
League leaders Saracens travel to Devon looking to preserve their perfect start to the season.
Having lost out to Leicester in last season's final, Mark McCall's men have hit the ground running this term with five successive bonus-point victories without defeat.
Title rivals Tigers, Gloucester and Harlequins have all been swatted aside but Saturday's trip to Sandy Park is sure to be their sternest test yet.
Watch Highlights: Saracens 37-31 Bath
Having missed out on a place in the Premiership final for the first time in six years, Exeter are back to their best after hitting the reset button in the summer.
A combination of new faces and fresh ideas have breathed new life into the Chiefs as they eye a first crown since 2020.
Victories over Leicester, Harlequins and Bristol have underlined their status as genuine challengers for English rugby's top prize, with defeat to second-placed Sale the only blemish on their record so far.
A third home win of the season would see the Chiefs leapfrog Sale into second and close the gap on Saracens to just two points as the autumn internationals loom large.
Bath vs Northampton - (3pm kick-off)
Bath's quest for a first win of the new campaign continues on Saturday afternoon as they lock horns with fourth-placed Northampton at The Rec.
After going 11 games without a win last season, most Bath fans were hoping the only way was up as head coach Johann van Graan kicked off a new era at The Rec.
But the famous old club have picked up from where they left off last season with six successive Premiership defeats to leave them the 12th in the table, one point above already relegated Worcester.
Bath fell to a 37-31 defeat at Saracens last time out but Van Graan will be encouraged by the manner of the loss.
Both sides crossed for four tries but it was the boot of Owen Farrell that ultimately proved the difference, with the England fly-half accounting for 17 points from the tee.
Watch Highlights: Northampton 32-31 Newcastle
A frustrated Van Graan said after the game: "We're certainly getting better and as I said, we'll keep getting better as the season goes, we believed the game was there to be won, they are a quality outfit but the game was there for the taking."
Next up for beleagured Bath is a visit from a Saints side in search of some consistency as they look to consolidate their grip on fourth place.
Phil Dowson's East Midlanders are hoping to make it three wins on the spin this weekend after bouncing back from back-to-back defeats in Rounds 3 and 4.
The Saints will have to make do without their talismanic fly-half Dan Biggar.
The Wales international will miss the Autumn Nation Series and is unlikely to return to action until December after suffering a knee injury in Northampton's win over Wasps earlier this month.
Leicester Tigers vs Wasps - Cancelled
The Round 7 clash between Leicester Tigers and Wasps has been cancelled.
Wasps face relegation at the end of the season after it was confirmed the Premiership club have been forced into administration.
The Midlanders become the second Premiership side to go into administration in the last three weeks after Worcester Warriors suffered the same fate.
The Coventry-based club were suspended from all competition last week after signalling their intention to appoint administrators.
167 staff, including all players and coaches, have been redundant following the news.
Wasps owe £35m to bondholders following their move to Coventry in 2014, with a further £2m in unpaid taxes.
Sunday 23 October
Sale Sharks vs Harlequins - 2pm (3pm KO), BT Sport 1 & BT Sport Ultimate
Watch live stream from 2pm
The Premiership weekend comes to a close in Sale where the high-flying Sharks entertain 2021 champions Harlequins at the AJ Bell.
Second in the table just one point behind pacesetters Saracens, Sale have announced themselves as one of the premier challengers to Leicester's crown.
Along with Saracens, Sale are the only side left in the competition with a 100 per cent winning record and the Lancashire outfit will be desperate to preserve their perfect start to the season as they eye a first Premiership title since 2006.
Meanwhile Sunday's visitors Quins know a statement win up north could kick-start their season after a mixed start to the campaign.
A brutal start to 2022/23 has seen Quins face off against Saracens, Exeter and holders Leicester leaving the Londoners with just two wins from their opening five fixtures.
It doesn't get any easier with a trip to in-form Sale this weekend and head coach Tabai Matson knows his men will have to be on song if they hope to end their hosts' unbeaten start.
Round 6 defeat to Leicester leaves Quins eighth in the table, five points off the top four, but the form of young winger Cadan Murley offers cause for optimism.
The 22-year-old flier scored a brace last weekend to take his try-scoring tally for the season to seven, earning him a first England call-up for November's Autumn Nations Series.
