Weekend rugby focus

Saturday, Rodney Parade, 2.30pm. Tel: 01633 674990 Tickets: £10-20

Life has not been kind to the Irish of late - scrambling around at the bottom of the Zurich Premiership and looking a pale shadow of the team that surprised everyone last season. Paradoxically, their latest loss, to Gloucester, gives a glimmer of hope. They made the league leaders struggle, and given that Newport have lost six out of seven Celtic League matches this is very much a winnable game for the Exiles. Having already beaten Edinburgh, it may well turn out that they are happier in Europe than at home.

Verdict: IRISH DO JOB

Harlequins v Stade Francais

Saturday, The Stoop, 3pm. Tel: 0871 871 8877 Tickets: £12-20 (under-16s £2-5)

As ever with Quins, this game will revolve around which players fill the multi-coloured jerseys - the ones that were awful against Caerphilly, or the ones that beat Newcastle, for example. As ever, unfortunately, they tend to be the same players... though any resemblance is purely facial. The man who brings consistency to Quins will be lauded as a hero. Stade Francais are a sort of French equivalent to Quins, with the big budgets and star names, but they do occasionally win things.

Verdict: QUINS STRUGGLE

Saracens v Colomiers

Sunday, Vicarage Road, 3pm. Tel: 01923 475 222 Tickets: pre-match £5-30, matchday £7-35

Buck Shelford has spent a lot of time complaining about the standard of the Premiership and its players, which begs the question: if he knows what's wrong, why can't he even fix it at Saracens? Surely by now he should be making a difference? His team should be too good this week against Colomiers - assuming the former All Black great can get them all fit and on the pitch - though the return leg may be a tough call.

Verdict: SARACENS ON TOP

Wasps v Bordeaux-Begles

Sunday, Adams Park, 3pm. Tel: 01494 769 471 Tickets: £6-16 (concs £3-8)

A great win for Wasps at Leeds - not pretty, by any stretch of the imagination, but highly significant for a team that have been searching for form and that were without Lawrence Dallaglio. Alex King's all-round form will encourage coach Warren Gatland no end. The London club will go into this game with justifiable confidence.

Verdict: WASPS WIN

Manchester v London Welsh

Saturday, Grove Park, 2.15pm. Tel: 0161 485 3733. Tickets: £8

A disappointing exit for the Welsh from the Cup, but they can get back to business in the league this week with good prospects of success, despite the long trip. Manchester aren't very good, and they are probably unlikely to try the Springbok plan for overcoming a better team - a bit of biff. That good son of Manchester, Liam Gallagher, proves that the area is willing to front up for that sort of thing but, fortunately, he's a football fan.

Verdict: WELSH TRAVEL WELL

Bracknell v Fylde

Saturday, Lily Hill Park, 2.15pm. Tel: 01344 424013 Tickets: £7 (concs £5)

On their home patch Fylde gave Henley a major fright last week, while Bracknell were being turned over by Penzance - but their relative positions remain unchanged, with Bracknell second and Fylde dead last. Given that Bracknell are at home and no doubt seething over that loss, Fylde will not travel in hope.