Aviva Premiership semi-finals preview

By Laurie Fitzgerald

After 22 pulsating rounds, we now know which are the four teams that have earnt a crack at lifting the Aviva Premiership title and being crowned champions of England in 2012.

Harlequins, Leicester, Saracens and Northampton have emerged as the country’s elite over the past nine months, and this weekend’s semi-finals are finely poised as they battle for a place in the final at Twickenham on the 26th May.

The bookies are backing Leicester to emerge as champions; Richard Cockerill‘s side are looking to reach their eighth consecutive Premiership final, and are the form team going into the knockout stages having beaten the other three semi-finalists away from home in recent months.

But as this season has already shown, we could be set for more twists and turns as we prepare for two titanic tussles as England’s finest prepare to get a shot at the title.    

Have Northampton got what it takes to survive?

By Tony Alvarez

As you read thisNorthampton town players will be preparing for their home tie withAldershot Town in another fixture in their battle against relegation from the Football Leagues.

Although the club are still sitting in the relegation zone the morale in the squad is quite high following some impressive performances and results in recent weeks, crucially they also have games in hand on many of the sides around them meaning that their destiny is for now at least in their own hands.

Super Saints learning from mistakes of the past

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Northampton Saints kept up their relentless march to the Aviva Premiership play-offs after a bonus point win over London Irish on Sunday.

That win at the Madjeski made it five victories from their least six league matches as Jim Mallinder‘s men moved up to within four points of Saracens in second.

With a home semi-final starting to become a real possibility, Northampton’s chances of Premiership glory are strengthening by the week.

What makes their recent form all the more impressive is that in previous seasons, this has been the stage of the campaign where the depth of the squad has come into question.  

Can Dagenham and Redbridge win their battle for Football League survival?

By Tony Alvarez

Following Saturdays somewhat embarrassing loss at the hands of Cheltenham Town, Dagenham and Redbridge sit bottom of League Two and look in real danger of dropping out of the Football League.

The Daggers are three points off safety albeit with a game in hand however with their inferior goal difference largely due to Saturdays defeat the gap more resembles four points than three.