Preview: Premiership, Round 20

The Warriors take on Wasps this weekend looking to go four games unbeaten at Sixways for the first time since December 2012.

Wasps however are in very good form themselves having secured a thrilling European Champions Cup victory over Exeter Chiefs 25-24.

Worcester face Wasps' fellow play-off rivals Saracens and Leicester Tigers in the coming weeks, but Barry is confident of a strong finish to the season.

"We are aiming to finish as high as we can, said Barry. "We want tenth at least but if we can catch Bath and finish ninth great.

"I think finishing ninth is a target, we have not said it ourselves but it's been spoken about as something that can happen. We need results to go our way because it will be a tough ask.

"I think if we were still in a relegation battle these would not be the three games you wanted to play against, you are playing three of the top four.

"It's not a pretty last block but we want to go out on a high, we don't want to finish tenth or 11th we want ninth and hopefully if we get those three results that leads us well into next season."

Wasps have lost just a single game, away at Gloucester on March 5, in their last 12 as they look to secure a spot in the end-of-season semifinals.

And despite Wasps having won each of their last three encounters with the Warriors, Barry says he and his teammates are treating the game like any other.

He said: "It's the same as any other game, we have done the analysis on them we think we know their weakness and we know their strengths so if all goes well we will come away with a good result.

"We have three big games against three big teams, we want to perform well and hopefully get a few good results."

It took last-ditch tries from Frank Halai and Sailosi Tagicakibau for third-place Wasps to put Worcester to the Sword at the Ricoh Arena earlier this season.

And Wasps prop Matt Mullan, who started his career at Worcester, needs no reminding of how tough travelling to Sixways can be for opposition teams.

"I know Sixways more than most and it is an extremely hard place to go, and we had a tough enough game against them at the Ricoh - we only won it right at the end," said Mullan.

"And they are right up there with the best teams in the Premiership on current form, they've really turned it around.

"In terms of getting into the top four, we know there is a lot riding on this week and we can't begin to think about anything else.

"Every game is so important and we can't let Leicester put us back under pressure."

We take a look at all the Round 20 action!

Friday:

Gloucester v Exeter Chiefs

(Kingsholm - Kick-off: 19.45; 18.45 GMT)

The Chiefs have won just once on the road since January: 22-15 at London Irish on February 21. Exeter beat Gloucester 19-10 at Sandy Park in Round Nine and have never before achieved a Premiership double over their west country rivals.

The Chiefs most recent victory at Kinsgholm in Premiership Rugby came in December 2012.

Teams: 

Gloucester: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Rob Cook, 13 Billy Twelvetrees, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Henry Trinder, 10 James Hook, 9 Greig Laidlaw (captain), 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Ross Moriarty, 5 Jeremy Thrush, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Yann Thomas.

Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Nick Wood, 18 Paul Doran-Jones, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Ollie Thorley, 23 Jacob Rowan.

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Lachlan Turner, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Gareth Steenson (captain), 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Don Armand, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ben Moon.

Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Carl Rimmer, 19 Damian Welch, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Michele Campagnaro, 23 James Short.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Assistant Referees: Robin Goodliffe, Roger Baileff

TMO: Trevor Fisher

Saturday:

Worcester Warriors v Wasps

(Sixways - Kick-off: 15.00; 14.00 GMT)

Wasps' solitary defeat in their last 12 fixtures since the end of January came on a visit to Gloucester on March 5. Wasps have picked up at least one league point from all away games they have played this season. 

Wasps have won their last three encounters with the Warriors and have also been triumphant on three of their last four visits to Sixways in the Premiership.

Teams:

Worcester Warriors: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Tom Biggs, 13 Bryce Heem, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 GJ van Velze (captain), 7 Carl Kirwan, 6 Phil Dowson, 5 Darren Barry, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Val Rapava Ruskin.

Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga, 18 James Johnston, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Sam Betty, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Andy Symons.

Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Charles Piutau, 12 Elliot Daly, 11 Frank Halai, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Thomas Young, 6 James Haskell (captain), 5 Bradley Davies, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Carlo Festuccia, 1 Matt Mullan.

Replacements: 16 Ashley Johnson, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19 Will Rowlands, 20 Sam Jones, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Brendan Macken

Referee: JP Doyle

Assistant referees: Andrew Pearce, Simon McConnell

TMO: David Grashoff

Saracens v Harlequins

(Wembley Stadium - Kick-off: 15.15; 14.15 GMT)

Harlequins have won just three times in the last ten rounds of the Premiership, all at the Twickenham Stoop, against Leicester, Bath and Newcastle. But Quins have not won away from home since beating Worcester at Sixways on January 3. 

Harlequins have played four previous matches at Wembley, all against Saracens in the Premiership, but have won just once. They beat Saracens 29-23 at Twickenham Stoop in Round Nine and have not achieved a season's Premiership double over their London neighbours since 2008-09.

Teams:

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Jackson Wray, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 George Kruis,4 Jim Hamilton, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola (captain).

Replacements: 16 Jared Saunders, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Hayden Smith, 20 Samu Vunisa, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Nick Tompkins.

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Ben Botica, 9 Danny Care (captain), 8 Nick Easter, 7 Jack Clifford, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 Sam Twomey, 4 Charlie Matthews, 3 Will Collier, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Mark Lambert.

Replacements: 16 Dave Ward, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 George Merrick, 20 Mat Luamanu, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Matt Hopper, 23 Ross Chisholm.

Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers

(Franklin's Gardens - Kick-off: 17.30; 16.30 GMT)

The Tigers have won just once on the road in any tournament since mid-December: 19-18 at Gloucester on January 30. 

Leicester beat Northampton 30-27 at Welford Road in Round Nine and have not achieved a Premiership season's double over their East Midlands rivals since 2012-13. 

Tigers have lost on their last two visits to Franklin's Gardens since their 22-16 victory there in Round 18 of the 2013-14 campaign.

Teams:

Northampton Saints: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Tom Kessell, 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Tom Wood (captain), 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Christian Day, 4 James Craig, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.

Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Campese Ma'afu, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Ben Nutley, 21 JJ Hanrahan, 22 Harry Mallinder, 23 Tom Collins.

Leicester Tigers: 15 Mathew Tait (captain), 14 Telusa Veainu, 13 Peter Betham, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Lachlan McCaffrey, 7 Brendon O'Connor, 6 Mike Fitzgerald, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Dom Barrow, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Marcos Ayerza.

Replacements: 16 Greg Bateman, 17 Logovi'i Mulipola, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Owen Williams, 23 Adam Thompstone.

Referee: Matthew Carley

Assistant referees: Paul Dix, Roy Maybank

TMO: Sean Davey

Sunday:

Sale Sharks v Bath

(AJ Bell Stadium - Kick-off: 14.30; 13.30 GMT)

Bath were defeated 10-30 at home to Saracens in Round 19, but won their most recent away game 17-12 at Gloucester on March 29. 

Bath have won their last two encounters with Sale but have not achieved a Premiership season's double over then since season 2010-11. Bath won on their most recent visit to AJ Bell Stadium in September 2014.

Teams:

Sale Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Will Addison, 13 Sam James, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Nev Edwards, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Mark Easter, 7 TJ Ioane, 6 Cameron Neild, 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Eifion Lewis-Roberts

Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Brian Mujati, 19 Jonathan Mills, 20 David Seymour, 21 James Mitchell, 22 Joe Ford, 23 Tom Brady

Bath: 15 Rhys Priestland, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 George Ford (captain), 9 Chris Cook, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Guy Mercer, 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dave Attwood, 4 Dominic Day, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Nathan Catt.

Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 David Wilson, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 David Denton, 21 Amanaki Mafi, 22 Will Homer, 23 Kyle Eastmond.

Referee: Luke Pearce

Assistant referees: Gareth Copsey, Ross Campbell

TMO: David Sainsbury

Newcastle Falcons v London Irish

(Kingston Park - Kick-off: 15.00; 14.00 GMT)

London Irish have won just once in the last eight rounds of the Premiership: 23-18 at home to Gloucester in Round 17. 

The Exiles have won only once on the road in any tournament since February 2015, 31-17 at Agen in the European Challenge Cup on January 23. 

London Irish have won their last four Premiership encounters against the Falcons since Newcastle's 30-11 win at Kingston Park in October 2013.

Teams:

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Alex Tait, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Marcus Watson, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Michael Young, 8 Nili Latu, 7 Will Welch (captain), 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Sean Robinson, 4 Calum Green, 3 Taione Vea, 2 George McGuigan, 1 Rob Vickers.

Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Alex Rogers, 18 Mike Cusack, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Ally Hogg, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Craig Willis, 23 Chris Harris.

London Irish: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Andrew Fenby, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Scott Steele, 8 Luke Narraway (captain), 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Jebb Sinclair, 5 Matt Symons, 4 Will Lloyd, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 David Paice, 1 Tom Court.

Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Tom Smallbone, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Jerry Sexton, 20 Ofisa Treviranus, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Shane Geraghty, 23 Aseli Tikoirotuma.

Referee: Wayne Barnes

Assistant referees: Peter Allan, Paul Burton

TMO: Graham Hughes

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