All the details for the Christmas weekend games
SARACENS V NEC HARLEQUINS
26 Dec 2004, 15:00, Vicarage Road
This season& Last Season
12 Nov 2004 ZP Saracens vs NEC Harlequins 10 - 40 The Stoop
07 Feb 2004 ZP Saracens vs NEC Harlequins 10 - 12 The Stoop
05 Oct 2003 ZP Saracens vs NEC Harlequins 39 - 33 Vicarage Road
Saracens are going for three wins in a row in all competitions at Vicarage Road, following victories over Parma in the European Challenge Cup and Newcastle in the English Cup last Sunday. In the Zurich Premiership it's been more of a struggle with just one win from their last five matches.
Harlequins have done the opposite with losses in their last three matches - home and away to the Neath-Swansea Ospreys in the European Cup, and at Bath in the English Cup - but winning their last three in the Zurich Premiership.
Quins won 40-10 when the two sides met earlier this season in the Premiership at the Stoop in round 9, but they have only won once in seven previous visits to Vicarage Road - 39-30 in the Premiership on 25 April 1999.
LEEDS TYKES V NEWCASTLE FALCONS
27 Dec 2004,14:30, Headingley
This season & Last season
14 Nov 2004 ZP Leeds Tykes vs Newcastle Falcons 16 - 29 Kingston Park
28 Mar 2004 ZP Leeds Tykes vs Newcastle Falcons 30 - 30 Headingley
15 Feb 2004 ZP Leeds Tykes vs Newcastle Falcons 28 - 25 Kingston Park
The Tykes have lost their last three matches in the Zurich Premiership but have racked up 255 points and 40 tries whilst conceding just 28 points in their last three matches in other competitions - home and away wins over Valladolid, followed by a cup victory over Pertemps Bees.
Since the Falcons beat Northampton in the Premiership on 28 November, they have beaten Edinburgh home and away in the European Cup, and slipped up 20-22 at Saracens in the English Cup. Newcastle have not won away from home in the Premiership since beating Bath 33-18 at The Rec on 11 September.
Leeds have beaten Newcastle only once in seven previous Premiership meetings - 28-25 at Kingston Park on 15 February.
The Falcons have never lost to the Tykes at Headingley but their last loss on the ground was to Leinster in the European Cup in January 2002 when adverse weather conditions moved the match at short notice from Kingston Park.
LEICESTER TIGERS V WORCESTER WARRIORS
27 Dec 2004, 15:00, Welford Road
This season
13 Nov 2004 ZP Leicester v Worcester 38 - 11 Sixways
Leicester's only loss in the Zurich Premiership since 2 January 2004 came at Sale on 5 September, whilst they are unbeaten at Welford Road in their last eight outings in the competition.
Worcester's loss at home to London Irish in the cup last Saturday ended a four match winning run in all competitions for the Warriors. Worcester have however achieved back to back Premiership wins against Wasps and at Northampton.
The Tigers won their only previous Premiership match against Worcester 38-11 at Sixways on 13 November, but Worcester have visited Welford Road once before - in the cup on 21 December 2002 when Leicester won 36-9.
Darren O'Leary has played in 99 Premiership matches - 67 for Harlequins, 23 for Gloucester and 9 for Worcester.
LONDON IRISH V NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
27 Dec 2004,15:00, Madejski Stadium
This season and Last season
13 Nov 2004 ZP London Irish vs Northampton Saints 21 - 20 Franklin's Gardens
04 Jan 2004 ZP London Irish vs Northampton Saints 15 - 36 Madejski Stadium
11 Oct 2003 ZP London Irish vs Northampton Saints 30 - 24 Franklin's Gardens
London Irish have produced back to back wins over Pau in the European Challenge Cup and at Worcester in the English Cup, whereas in the Zurich Premiership a 15-27 loss at Bath last time out ended a three match winning run in the competition.
It is now nine successive Premiership losses for Saints, whilst they haven't won "on the road" in the competition since beating Harlequins at the Stoop 45-13 in round 2.
The last three Premiership encounters between the two have been won by the away side, with London Irish winning 21-20 when the two met at Franklin's Gardens in November.
LONDON WASPS V GLOUCESTER
27 Dec 2004, 15:00, Causeway Stadium
This season and last season
12 Nov 2004 ZP Wasps vs Gloucester 27 - 17 Kingsholm
01 May 2004 ZP Wasps vs Gloucester 25 - 28 Kingsholm
21 Nov 2003 ZP Wasps vs Gloucester 20 - 12 Causeway Stadium
Wasps' four match winless run in all competitions ended on Sunday with a thrilling 43-33 victory over Bristol Shoguns after extra time in the Cup. The Londoners last Premiership win was also over Gloucester at Kingsholm on 12 November.
Gloucester have won their last four matches in all tournaments, a run which was started with a 24-14 home victory over Sale in the Premiership on 26 November. Gloucester's last away win in the competition came at Worcester in round 7.
London Wasps have lost just one of their last five encounters with Gloucester - 25-28 at Kingsholm in the Premiership on 1 May, whilst the Cherry & Whites last win on Wasps soil was at Sudbury in January 1990 in the 3rd round of the cup.
Phil Greening has made 99 appearances in the Premiership - 11 for Gloucester, 21 for Sale and 67 for Wasps.
SALE SHARKS V BATH RUGBY
27 Dec 2004, 15:00, Edgeley Park
This season and last season
13 Nov 2004 ZP Sale Sharks vs Bath 13 - 27 Recreation Ground
03 Apr 2004 ZP Sale Sharks vs Bath 12 - 16 Recreation Ground
26 Sep 2003 ZP Sale Sharks vs Bath 9 - 14 Edgeley Park
Sale have lost their last three Zurich Premiership matches against Bath, Harlequins and Gloucester, but have won their three most recent matches in other tournaments - home and away victories over Narbonne and a cup win over Plymouth Albion at Edgeley Park.
Bath's only slip up in their past seven matches came at Treviso in the European Cup, a run which includes victories in their last four Premiership encounters.
Bath have won the last three matches they have played against the Sharks including a 27-13 victory at the Rec in the Premiership on 13 November.