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Aviva Premiership team news for the final round of games

Saracens' Alex Goode tackled during the Aviva Premiership match against Leicester Tigers at Allianz Park. David Rogers/Getty Images

The Aviva Premiership reaches the final round of games with Leicester and Bath vying for the final playoff place. Here is the team news across the league.

Wasps vs. Saracens

Wasps and Saracens face each other with the knowledge that victory could guarantee either side a home semifinal but with a Champions Cup final next week, Mark McCall has decided to rest his star players.

Owen Farrell, Billy and Mako Vunipola, Chris Ashton and Maro Itoje all have the weekend off, with Alex Lozowski switching to out-half. Jim Hamilton replaces Itoje, Chris Wyles goes to fullback with Alex Goode dropping to the bench.

Wasps' director of rugby Dai Young makes two changes to the backline, with Joe Simpson and Danny Cipriani starting at halfback. Matt Symons returns to the second row alongside Joe Launchbury. Jake Cooper-Woolley starts at tighthead and Nathan Hughes at No. 8.

Wasps: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Willie Le Roux, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Joe Simpson; 1 Matt Mullan, 2 Tommy Taylor, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 5 Matt Symons, 6 James Haskell, 7 Thomas Young, 8 Nathan Hughes.

Replacements: 16 Ashley Johnson, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Phil Swainston, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Guy Thompson, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Alapati Leiua, 23 Josh Bassett.

Saracens: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 Mike Ellery, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Alex Lozowski, 9 Ben Spencer; 1 Titi Lamositle, 2 Schalk Brits (c), 3 Vincent Koch, 4 Jim Hamilton, 5 George Kruis, 6 Michael Rhodes, 7 Jackson Wray, 8 Schalk Burger.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Henry Taylor, 22 Alex Goode, 23 Nathan Earle.


Gloucester vs. Exeter Chiefs

Unbeaten in 15 games, the Chiefs travel to Gloucester knowing that victory guarantees them a home semifinal.

Exeter head coach Baxter is forced into a change with prop Greg Holmes, back-row forwards Dave Ewers and Don Armand as well as full-back Lachie Turner missing out after picking up knocks. England international Jack Nowell switches from wing to 15 while leading try-scorer James Short is recalled.

Gloucester make eight changes to their starting team, with centre Matt Scott set to make his first appearance since early March having recovered from a hamstring injury playing for Scotland in the Six Nations.

Other changes to the back line see Charlie Sharples return on the right wing and a new half-back pairing in Greig Laidlaw and Billy Twelvetrees.

Gloucester: 15 James Hook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Jonny May; 10 Billy Twelvetrees, 9 Greig Laidlaw (c); 1 Paddy McAllister, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 John Afoa; 4 Tom Savage, 5 Mariano Galarza, 6 Freddie Clarke, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 8 Ben Morgan.

Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Jeremy Thrush, 20 Jacob Rowan, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Ollie Thorley, 23 Henry Trinder.

Chiefs: 15 Jack Nowell ,14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 James Short, 10 Gareth Steenson (c), 9 Stuart Townsend; 1 Ben Moon, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Harry Williams, 4 Ollie Atkins, 5 Geoff Parling, 6 Dave Dennis, 7 Julian Salvi, 8 Kai Horstmann.

Replacements:16 Jack Yeandle 17 Carl Rimmer 18 Tomas Francis 19 Sam Skinner 20 Sam Simmonds 21 Will Chudley 22 Joe Simmonds 23 Sam Hill


Northampton Saints vs. Harlequins

Northampton Saints see George North, Louis Picamoles and Tom Wood return to the starting team, but injury rules JJ Hanrahan out of what would have been his final game for the Saints before returning to Munster. Harry Mallinder lines up at fly half with Nafi Tuitavake coming into the centre.

Harlequins make one change with Danny Care having failed to recover from an oblique injury sustained last weekend, though he is expected to make a full recovery ahead of England's tour to Argentina this summer.

He is replaced by Karl Dickson who, alongside Nick Evans, makes his last Premiership appearance for the club. Meanwhile, tighthead prop Kyle Sinckler will make his 100th appearance.

Saints: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 George North, 13 Nafi Tuitavake, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Ben Foden, 10 Harry Mallinder, 9 Nic Groom; 1 Alex Waller, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Courtney Lawes, 5 David Ribbans, 6 Jamie Gibson, 7 Tom Wood (c), 8 Louis Picamoles.

Replacements: 16 Mikey Haywood, 17 Campese Ma'afu, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 Teimana Harrison, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 Sam Olver, 23 Rory Hutchinson.

Quins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Karl Dickson; 1 Joe Marler, 2 Rob Buchanan, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4 Charlie Matthews, 5 James Horwill (c), 6 Chris Robshaw, 7 Luke Wallace, 8 Mat Luamanu.

Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Will Collier, 19 George Merrick, 20 Dave Ward, 21 Charlie Mulchrone, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Alofa Alofa.


Worcester vs. Leicester

Leicester Tigers make one change to their starting team in a game that should see them clinch the last semifinal berth, with Peter Betham recalled in place of the injured JP Pietersen. Betham starts on the wing, with the rest of the line-up retained from a bonus-point win over Sale Sharks last weekend.

Warriors make four changes with 38-year-old Donncha O'Callaghan recalled to the starting line-up as captain in the second row in place of the injured Chris Vui, while Phil Dowson will make his final Warriors appearance before retiring.

In the front row, loosehead Ryan Bower starts in place of the suspended Val Rapava Ruskin while young tighthead Gareth Milasinovich is also given the nod. Cooper Vuna, Ryan Lamb and Ryan Grant are named on the bench in what could be their final appearances for the club before they depart this summer.

Warriors: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Ben Te'o, 11 Perry Humphreys, 10 Ryan Mills, 9 Francois Hougaard; 1 Ryan Bower, 2 Joe Taufete'e, 3 Gareth Milasinovich, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan (c), 5 Will Spencer, 6 Phil Dowson, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 8 Marco Mama.

Replacements: 16 Jack Singleton, 17 Ryan Grant, 18 Biyi Alo, 19 Darren Barry, 20 Alafoti Faosiliva, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Cooper Vuna.

Tigers: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Jack Roberts, 12 Owen Williams, 11 Peter Betham, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 3 Dan Cole, 4 Dom Barrow, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Mike Williams, 7 Brendon O'Connor, 8 Luke Hamilton.

Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Greg Bateman, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Mike Fitzgerald, 20 Harry Thacker, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Matt Smith, 23 George Worth.


Sale Sharks vs. Bath Rugby

Bath make four changes with Beno Obano replacing the injured Nathan Catt at loosehead prop and will feature in the front row alongside Chris Brooker and Shaun Knight.

Dave Attwood continues his comeback alongside the in-form Elliott Stooke, Tom Ellis returns at blindside flanker, while Matt Banahan returns to the squad to take his place on the right wing, with Aled Brew and Tom Homer completing the back three.

Anthony Watson, Luke Charteris and Nathan Catt all picked up slight knocks last time out, and Semesa Rokoduguni suffered a medial ligament injury playing in the Army-Navy game last Saturday, so all four are unavailable for selection this week.

Sale's Steve Diamond has opted to make six changes with James Flynn starting his first Premiership game of the season at loosehead prop, second row Andrei Ostrikov returns to the side and in the back row, Ben Curry partners twin Tom at flanker, with captain Josh Beaumont starting.

Mike Phillips starts his final game before retirement, Byron McGuigan starts on the wing and Johnny Leota starts at inside centre. Magnus Lund and Peter Stringer are also set to make their final appearances for the club, before moving on at the end of the season.

Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Sam James, 12 Johnny Leota, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Mike Phillips; 1 James Flynn, 2 Rob Webber, 3 Ross Harrison, 4 Bryn Evans, 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 6 Ben Curry, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Josh Beaumont (c).

Replacements: 16 Cameron Neild, 17 Jake Pope, 18 Diogo Ferreira, 19 George Nott, 20 Magnus Lund, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Mark Jennings, 23 Josh Charnley.

Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Matt Banahan, 13 Max Clark, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Rhys Priestland (co-c), 9 Kahn Fotuali'i; 1 Beno Obano, 2 Chris Brooker, 3 Shaun Knight, 4 Elliott Stooke, 5 Dave Attwood, 6 Tom Ellis, 7 Francois Louw (co-c), 8 Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Darryl Marfo, 18 Kane Palma-Newport, 19 Matt Garvey, 20 Paul Grant, 21 Chris Cook, 22 George Ford, 23 Robbie Fruean.


Bristol vs Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons make one change with Opeti Fonua coming into the side at No 8, the Tongan international replacing Callum Chick.

Newcastle are travelling to Ashton Gate in search of European Champions Cup rugby, needing victory and hoping that results in Gloucester and Northampton go their way. Newcastle would then need Gloucester to lose next weekend's European Challenge Cup final to secure themselves a play-off semi-final spot.

Bristol meanwhile named an unchanged starting line-up with Marc Jones skippering the side on his final game in a Bristol jersey.

Bristol: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Ryan Edwards, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Gavin Henson, 11 Jack Tovey, 10. Billy Searle, 9 Alby Mathewson; 1 Jack O'Connell, 2 Marc Jones (c), 3 Gaston Cortes, 4 James Phillips, 5 Mark Sorenson, 6 Sam Jeffries, 7 Olly Robinson, 8 Mitch Eadie.

Replacements: 16 Max Crumpton, 17 Ollie Dawe, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Ben Glynn, 20 Nick Fenton-Wells, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Tusi Pisi, 23 Siale Piutau.

Falcons: 15 Marcus Watson, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Joel Hodgson, 9 Sonatane Takulua; 1 Rob Vickers, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 Jon Welsh, 4 Calum Green, 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Mark Wilson, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Opeti Fonua.

Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Will Witty, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Sam Egerton, 22 Craig Willis, 23 Alex Tait.