By Behindthebench
February 3 2017

The Anglo Welsh Cup, Sunday 6 February, Allianz Park.  The strength in depth of Saracens' current squad shone through again last week as they became only the second side to win at Scarlets across the three competitions. Depending on Northampton's result at home to the Welsh region on Friday, Sarries may already have qualified before kick off, as their opponents, Leicester Tigers, already have. Newport Gwent Dragons and Bath are already out of contention in Pool 1.

Saracens have been at their free-flowing best in this competition, as opposed to the stout defence which has kept the Aviva Premiership and Champions Cup challenges on track in recent weeks. They have maintained a distinct Storm style side in the trio of games, staying true to the "stars of the future" billing of the tournament, with a dash of experience. Their line up in the 36-32 loss to Gloucester at Kingsholm saw  Andrew Fenby at full back, with Mike Ellery and George Perkins on the wings, and Nick Tompkins with Thomas Griffiths in the centres. Tom Whiteley was at fly half with Ben Spencer at scrum half. Richard Barrington, Scott Spurling and Vincent Koch formed the front row, whilst Mark Flanagan and Nick Isiekwe were at lock, and there was Joel Conlon, Kelly Brown and Samu Vunisa in the back row. Home against Newcastle, Nathan Earle came in at left wing with Henry Taylor at scrum half. In the forwards, Petrus du Plessis started at tighthead prop with the second and back rows unchanged from that at Kingsholm. Last week at Scarlets showed the deep talent in the squad as Matt Gallagher began at full back, Ellery and Rotimi Segun occupied the wings and Tim Streather came in at centre alongside Tompkins. Max Malins started at fly half with Taylor remaining at scrum half. The pack featured Titi Lamositele, Scott Spurling and du Plessis with the lock combination of Isiekwe and Flanagan retained, and Will Fraser making a welcome return to the back row with Conlon and Vunisa.

Leicester still have a home semi-final on the 11 or 12 March to play for, and the fact that they have come through fierce clashes against closest rivals Bath and Northampton bodes well for their hopes. This tournament has been the bright spot of a campaign which has rapidly disintegrated from holding onto a top four spot with some unconvincing wins through to European humiliations to Glasgow and Munster. The departure of Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill has seemingly made things worse, so a win at a ground on which the East Midlands side have lost on every visit so far would be a perfect tonic. Given the misfiring form of the first choice XV too, the chance of elevation to it would be an incentive just as much as winning the competition itself, which nevertheless would end a trophy drought stretching back to 2013 when they won the Premiership final.

Tigers opened their Anglo Welsh campaign with a resilient 21-20 win at Bath, thanks to tries from George Catchpole and Luke Hamilton. That match saw George Worth at full back, with Tom Brady and Catchpole on the wings, and a centre partnership of Matt Smith and Jack Roberts, with fly half Freddie Burns alongside scrum half Jono Kitto in the half backs. Forwards-wise, Greg Bateman, Harry Thacker and Fraser Balmain formed the front row, whilst Harry Wells was with Joe Maksymiw at lock and the back row comprised of Hamilton, Will Evans and Tomas Leonardi.

Back at Welford Road, Newport Gwent Dragons were the visitors and were humbled 42-3 with a six try display, featuring scores from Owen Williams, Adam Thompstone, Bateman, Burns, Ellis Genge and Jack Roberts. The line up brought eight changes to the first match as Thompstone and Peter Betham came in on the wings, Williams slotted in at centre alongside Roberts. Worth stayed at full back and Burns was kept at fly half, but Sam Harrison started at scrum half. Further adjustments in the pack saw Marcos Ayerza and Greg Bateman introduced either side of Thacker. Wells' new partner in the second row was Graham Kitchener, with Tom Croft, Evans and Hamilton making up a revised back row.

Northampton were beaten 27-20 at Welford Road as Evans and Dom Barrow scored the tries. Further wholesale changes, saw Mathew Tait come in at full back, with Brady and Catchpole back on the wings, as Smith and Roberts resumed their partnership of the first match, but Williams started alongside Kitto in the half backs. In the forwards, Michele Rizzo, Thacker and Balmain were the front row, with Wells and Barrow in the second row and a back row of Croft, Evans and Hamilton, meaning that only five players (Roberts, Thacker, Wells, Hamilton and Evans) started all three games.

Looking at the other pools, Pool 2 could theoretically still be won by any of its four sides, as Exeter Chiefs and Ospreys lead the way with ten points, Sale Sharks are one point behind, and Worcester are still in the running, despite only having six points, but would need defeats for the sides above them. Harlequins have wrapped up Pool 3, so Wasps, Bristol and Cardiff have nothing to play for, whilst the Tigers have effectively sealed Pool 4, brushing off the challenge of Gloucester, Scarlets and Newcastle.