Form team London Irish have the chance to climb into the top half of the Guinness Premiership table when they kick off this weekend's programme against Worcester at Sixways tonight.
Momentum is with the Exiles, whose victory over Leicester last weekend was their fifth in a row in all competitions since losing to the champions in December, and they have already beaten the Warriors three times this season.
"Last weekend's round of Guinness Premiership matches proved yet again what a competitive league it is," said director of rugby Brian Smith.
"Despite a great performance in recording a rare victory over the reigning champions, we actually slipped back a position in the table as results elsewhere went against us.
"Having said that, we are among the chasing pack closing down on the top four pacesetters."
Smith brings in Nils Mordt and Mike Catt in place of injured duo Shane Geraghty and Eoghan Hickey, while scrum-half Paul Hodgson's selection for England presents an opportunity for promising academy player Warren Fury.
The match will mark the 100th appearance of Delon Armitage, 24, who reaches the landmark in only his fourth season at the club.
Worcester have a new half-back pairing in Samoa international Loki Crichton and Matt Powell, while skipper Pat Sanderson has been passed fit after being forced off early in the defeat by Harlequins last week.
Leaders Gloucester will seek to recover from rare back-to-back defeats when they take on Newcastle at Kingsholm tomorrow, while champions Leicester meet Sale in the match of the day at Welford Road.
Newcastle will give a Premiership debut to England Under-20s centre Alex Tait. He takes over from older brother Mathew, who is on Six Nations duty.
Sale are the best team in the Premiership on current form, having gained 22 points from their last six matches, and they will be aiming to complete a first-ever double over the Tigers, having beaten them at Edgeley Park in December.
The fifth-placed Sharks are just five points behind the champions and director of rugby Philippe Saint Andre has his sights set on a top-two finish.
"So far this season, we have won as many games as we did in the whole of last season," he said.
"Defensively, I am very happy in that we have the best defence in the Premiership and only Leicester have conceded less tries.
"We are now working on our attack, which has not been as good as we would like but we know we have the squad to make things happen.
"No team is going to run away with the title and we are focused firstly on a top-four place and then, if possible, a top-two position."
Leicester will be without full-back Geordan Murphy, who was named in the original squad but called back into the Ireland camp as cover for Girvan Dempsey.
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