By Wellsaint
September 23 2005

Time is of the essence for Wellsaint this week as he looks at Week Four of the Guinness Premiership. Pithy, practical, short and to the point, here are this week's predictions from comeonyousaints.com's bane of the bookies.

Gloucester v Saints - Live on Sky

Saints travel to Gloucester after a lifeless performance against Newcastle last weekend. It felt like going back twelve months; sitting there, knowing full well that even if we played for the next week, there was no way we were going to score a try. Others may have found bright spots in the performance - I found none.  Beaten by seven, it could have
easily been two or three more scores (one of the few things Pountney did get right in his post-match analysis.)  Will it improve this week at Castle Grim?  No dice.  Gloucester trounced a previously-unbeaten Bristol last weekend and will be looking for another bonus point win.  Whether they'll get that I'm not sure, but I predict a Gloucester win by 12.


London Irish v Bristol

Bristol tasted defeat for the first time last weekend whilst Irish got beaten convincingly at Sale.  Both teams are expected to be at the scary end of the table come May and so this is an important game.  Difficult to call - but home advantage sways my decision - Irish by 5.


Leeds v Leicester

Leeds were beaten easily by Wasps in the end last week and face a Leicester side that made it no wins from three games for Bath.  I think Leeds will struggle for the second week running and take Leicester to win by 15.


Newcastle v Bath

For all that we were poor last week, I'm still not convinced about Newcastle - rugged, yes - but I don't think they are really top of the table material.  Bath, meanwhile, are at the bottom of the league with nothing to show for three weeks' games. I think that Bath go 0-4 here, and that Newcastle will win by seven for the second week running.

Wasps v Worcester

Worcester are unbeaten to this point, but I think this is where they taste defeat for the first time this season.  Wasps, after a slowish start, put 47 points past Leeds, and I think that the Men in Black will continue their excellent start to the
season on Sunday, winning by ten points in the process.


Saracens v Sale


Potentially the tightest game of the weekend, Sale beat Irish easily last week whilst Sarries were edged out at Sixways by Worcester.  I take Sale to win by three.



Wellsaint will be taking a (much needed) break next week, as the Premiership clubs play the Anglo-Welsh WOFT Cup Competition (if you don't know what WOFT is, here's a big clue - Waste Of F......* Time.)  Bye for now...

*Ed's note. I think Adrian means flippin'...