ROUND 16 FIXTURES

Saturday 7th March
Bath Rugby v Bristol Rugby (Recreation Ground, 2.15pm)
Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby (Welford Road, 2.45pm)
Harlequins v Saracens (Twickenham Stoop, 3pm)
Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints (Sixways, 3pm)
Sunday 8th March
Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons (Edgeley Park, 1.15pm) Live on Sky Sports.
London Wasps v London Irish (Adams Park, 3.30pm) Live on Sky Sports.

Highlights show on itv 4 6.30pm Sunday evenings.

ROUND 16 PREVIEWS

Bath Rugby v Bristol Rugby

Bath Rugby have now won just one of their last four matches in the Guinness Premiership following the 27-36 defeat to Gloucester on Saturday. Bath have drawn their last two games at the Rec: 3-all with Toulouse and 17-all with London Irish, whilst they haven't lost at home in the Premiership since Gloucester were the visitors on 13 September.

Bristol Rugby picked up their first league point of 2009 with the 14-17 defeat at home to Harlequins on Sunday, but they have still won just one game in the competition since 16 March 2008: 14-13 at home to Northampton on 16 November.

Bath have won the last four encounters between the two clubs in all competitions since Bristol gained a 16-6 victory at Ashton Gate in the Premiership on 27 December 2006.

Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby

Leicester Tigers have won back to back matches in the Guinness Premiership against Worcester and London Irish. The Tigers have won their last nine games at Welford Road in all competitions since Wasps won there 28-19 on 26 September.

Gloucester Rugby's 36-27 victory at home to Bath kept them on top of the Guinness Premiership table, whilst their only defeat in their last five matches in the competition was 9-14 at Harlequins on 21 February. Gloucester have lost all three away games they have played so far in 2009.

Leicester have won their last three games against Gloucester but amazingly all three matches were played at Kingsholm! In fact the away side has taken the last four encounters between the two teams. The Tigers have won just one of their last four meetings with Gloucester at Welford Road.

Harlequins v Saracens

Harlequins recorded a fifth straight victory and the 4th in a row in the Guinness Premiership with their 17-14 win at Bristol on Sunday. Quins are unbeaten at home in all competitions in their last seven games since London Irish won 32-17 at the Stoop in the EDF Energy Cup on 25 October.

Saracens narrow 24-23 victory at home to Sale on Sunday ended a run of back to back defeats. Saracens away form leaves much to be desired with just one win on the road in the Guinness Premiership since December 2007: 23-16 at Bristol on 1 October 2008.

Harlequins won 24-21 when the two teams met at Twickenham in the season opening London double-header, and have not achieved a league "double" over Saracens since season 1998/99. Saracens have won on their last two visits to the Twickenham Stoop.

Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints

Worcester Warriors' 13-12 home victory over London Wasps on Saturday snapped a six game winless run in the Guinness Premiership. This fixture will mean that six of Worcester's last seven matches in all competitions in 2009 have all been played at Sixways!

Northampton Saints have now slipped to three defeats in their last four matches. The Saints have lost their last 12 away games in the Guinness Premiership since beating Leicester 10-9 at Welford Road on 24 February 2007.

Northampton won 21-13 when the two clubs met at Franklin's Gardens on 7 September, and are going for a first ever Premiership seasonal double over the Warriors.

Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons

Despite two defeats in their last three matches in the Guinness Premiership Sale Sharks have still picked up more league points from their last six games than any other club. The Sharks have won their last six encounters at Edgeley Park in all competitions since Worcester won there 17-9 on 14 November.

Newcastle Falcons' impressive run continued with a fourth straight victory at Northampton on Saturday - the Tynesiders have not won five in a row in the competition since season 2001/02. The Falcons have won back to back away games in the Guinness Premiership but have not won three in a row on the road in the same season since they were the inaugural Premiership champions in 1997/98.

Sale Sharks have won their last two matches against Newcastle including the 14-9 victory at Kingston Park on 7 September, but the Sharks have never achieved a seasonal league double over the Falcons.

London Wasps v London Irish

London Wasps slipped to a 12-13 defeat at Worcester on Saturday. Wasps have not scored a try for 196 playing minutes since John Hart touched down against Leicester on 15 February - their worst barren run since they went 222 minutes without a try in the Premiership in 2001. At Adams Park Wasps have won six in a row since a Sale victory there 13-12 in the Guinness Premiership on 23 November.

London Irish's recent form is still poor with just 12 league points picked up in their last six outings, although the two points they gained from the defeat to Leicester on Sunday was only the second time they have ever tallied a try bonus AND a losing bonus point from the same game.

London Irish won 26-14 in the Guinness Premiership encounter at Twickenham on 6 September and are going for a first season's double over their near rivals since 2001/02. The Exiles have won just once before at Adams Park: 56-37 on 30 April 2006.