Gloucester and Bath battle it out for top spot as the Guinness Premiership play-off race goes down to the wire.

Gloucester (1) v Bath (2)

England wing Lesley Vainikolo has recovered from a hamstring strain that ruled him out of last Sunday's impressive victory over Wasps. Iain Balshaw switches to full-back instead of an injured Olly Morgan, while number eight Gareth Delve replaces Luke Narraway, lining up against his former club.

Bath full-back Nick Abendanon is rested after suffering a hamstring injury, so Joe Maddock moves from the wing and Andrew Higgins (pictured) starts. Elsewhere, centre Tom Cheeseman features instead of Alex Crockett and prop David Flatman replaces an injured David Barnes.

Last season: Bath 21 Gloucester 21, Gloucester 24 Bath 19

This season: Bath 10 Gloucester 5

Last six league matches: Gloucester W L L W W W; Bath L W L W W W

Top tryscorers: Lesley Vainikolo (Gloucester) 9; Matthew Banahan (Bath) 10

Top pointscorers: Ryan Lamb (Gloucester) 234; Olly Barkley (Bath) 271

Leeds Carnegie (12) v Wasps (3)

Captain Stuart Hooper and rugby director Stuart Lancaster both bid farewell to Leeds as the Yorkshire club bow out of the Premiership. Bath-bound Hooper is among several players playing their final game, while Lancaster will head to a new job with the Rugby Football Union next month.

England fly-half Danny Cipriani is on the bench for Wasps following a crucial midweek victory at Newcastle, with Jeremy Staunton wearing the number 10 shirt. Skipper Lawrence Dallaglio, meanwhile, returns in the back-row alongside fellow England internationals Joe Worsley and James Haskell.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

This season: Wasps 25 Leeds Carnegie 17

Last six league matches: Leeds Carnegie D W L L L L; Wasps W W W W L W

Top tryscorers: Tom Biggs (Leeds Carnegie) 6; Paul Sackey (Wasps) 7

Top pointscorers: Alberto Di Bernardo (Leeds Carnegie) 191; Daniel Cipriani (Wasps) 304

Leicester (6) v Harlequins (5)

Leicester, who must beat Quins to guarantee Heineken Cup rugby next season, have recalled Johne Murphy on the left-wing instead of Alesana Tuilagi. Changes up front following a defeat at Newcastle last time out see starts for prop Boris Stankovich, hooker Mefin Davies and flanker Ben Herring.

Quins rugby director Dean Richards has made four changes for a return to his former club. David Strettle lines up at outside centre, with Chris Malone replacing fly-half Adrian Jarvis, hooker Chris Brooker deputising for an injured Tani Fuga and England number eight Nick Easter starting instead of Tom Guest.

Last season: Leicester 27 Harlequins 22, Harlequins 15 Leicester 21

This season: Harlequins 13 Leicester 42

Last six league matches: Leicester L W L L W L; Harlequins W W W W L L

Top tryscorers: Tom Varndell (Leicester) 11; Simon Keogh, Ugo Monye & Steve So'oialo (Harlequins) 4

Top pointscorers: Andy Goode (Leicester) 292; Adrian Jarvis (Harlequins) 130

Sale (4) v London Irish (7)

Sale boss Philippe Saint-Andre makes two changes from the side that beat Harlequins last Saturday, with Lionel Faure replacing England prop Andrew Sheridan and Neil Briggs taking over from hooker Sebastien Bruno. Sheridan and Bruno are on the bench, together with fit-again England World Cup wing Mark Cueto.

Centre Shane Geraghty returns to the Irish midfield alongside Seilala Mapusua, with Topsy Ojo reverting to his familar wing position from full-back after replacing a rested Peter Hewat against Leeds last weekend. Up front, number eight Phil Murphy makes his final appearance for the club.

Last season: Sale 9 London Irish 14, London Irish 14 Sale 31

This season: London Irish 20 Sale 12

Last six league matches: Sale W W W L W W; London Irish L L W W W W

Top tryscorers: Ben Foden (Sale) 8; Sailosi Tagicakibau (London Irish) 6

Top pointscorers: Charlie Hodgson (Sale) 273; Peter Hewat (London Irish) 180

Saracens (8) v Bristol (9)

England World Cup winner Richard Hill makes his 288th and final Saracens appearance before retirement as one of several changes following last weekend's 66-21 drubbing at Bath.England Under-20 wing Noah Cato is handed a rare start, while there is a debut for fly-half Alex Goode and Richard Haughton returns at full-back.

Number eight Dan Ward-Smith captains a young and inexperienced Bristol side that sees starts for the likes of centre Luke Eves, scrum-half Haydn Thomas, prop Ray Hogan and flanker Redford Pennycook.

Last season: Saracens 36 Bristol 5, Bristol 13 Saracens 13

This season: Bristol 18 Saracens 3

Last six league matches: Saracens W L W L L L; Bristol W L L L L L

Top tryscorers: Adam Powell (Saracens) 7; Tom Arscott (Bristol) 7

Top pointscorers: Glen Jackson (Saracens) 311; Jason Strange (Bristol) 124

Worcester (11) v Newcastle (10)

Veteran prop Tony Windo makes his final appearance at Sixways before retiring, while Japan-bound trio Shane Drahm, Thinus Delport and Drew Hickey also featured in Warriors' 22. Elsewhere, Wales prop Chris Horsman lines up for the first time since October after an injury-ravaged campaign, with Dale Rasmussen taking over from injured centre Sam Tuitupou.

A hip injury could deny England star Mathew Tait making his final Newcastle appearance at Sixways before joining Sale next season. Tait, who has been named at outside centre, faces a late fitness test, but departing scrum-half Lee Dickson and flanker Ben Woods both play for the last time in Falcons colours. Newcastle are without Tait's England colleagues Jonny Wilkinson, Toby Flood and Jamie Noon.

Last season: Worcester 23 Newcastle 21, Newcastle 20 Worcester 19

This season: Newcastle 15 Worcester 12

Last six league matches: Worcester W D W L L W; Newcastle L L L L W L

Top tryscorers: Miles Benjamin (Worcester) 7; Tom May (Newcastle) 7

Top pointscorers: Shane Drahm (Worcester) 183; Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle) 272

SportingLife / Eurosport