This weekend sees the first full round of Gallagher Premiership action in 2023, with no fewer than FOUR live games to enjoy on BT Sport.
And English club rugby fans are in for another weekend of high-octane domestic drama with the league’s top four teams all facing off against each other to kick off the New Year in style.
Read on for all you need to know on how to watch selected games on BT Sport, plus live stream information, TV channel times and previews of all remaining matches.
Watch live stream from 2pm
BT Sport’s live coverage of Round 15 concludes with a blockbuster domestic showdown as two-time champions Harlequins welcome high-flying sale to The Stoop.
Still without star fly-helped Marcus Smith through injury, Saturday’s hosts Quins had their play-off hopes dented by back-to-back league defeats to Bristol and Northampton.
Tabai Matson’s men have not lost three on the bounce for over 11 months and will be banking on home-field advantage when they take on Alex Sanderson’s in-form sale.
The Sharks were triumphant on both visits to west London last season, with a 36-14 win in the league followed by a 34-29 victory in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Quins slipped to a 15-12 reversal at the hands of Bristol in their last home league game and are out to avoid a second-straight defeat in TW1 for the first time since November 2021.
Elsewhere, veteran Joe Marler serves the first part of his two-game suspension for conduct prejudicial to the game, while backs coach Nick Evans has been named as part of Steve Borthwick’s coaching staff for the upcoming Six Nations campaign.
Meanwhile high-flying Sale’s only defeat in their last four Premiership outings came away at Newcastle a fortnight ago.
The Northerners returned to form last weekend with a statement 40-5 thrashing of holders Leicester.
That win kept Sale in touching distance of leaders but Saracens but the 2006 champions will have to end three-month wait for a third away win of the season when they travel to the capital.
London Irish will be looking to return to winning ways after having their mid-season mini revival cut short at Gloucester last weekend.
The Exiles snapped a five-game losing streak in the league with a bonus-point win over Newcastle in Round 13 before becoming the first team to defeat league leaders Saracens a week later.
But Irish were brought crashing back down to earth last weekend as they slipped to an agonizing 8-6 defeat at play-off hopefuls Gloucester.
Now Declan Kidney’s side welcome bottom-of-the-table Bristol to Brentford with their slim hopes of reaching the last four fading fast.
Meanwhile Pat Lam’s Bears return to Premiership action after sitting out Round 14 on a bye.
Having lost seven straight league games between September and November, Bristol have now gone two Premiership matches without defeat, including a 26-26 draw with champions Leicester and victory over Quins in Round 13.
Indeed the Bears are looking for a fourth consecutive win in all competitions having beaten Perpignan and Zebre in the EPCR Challenge Cup before returning to league action last week.
Depending on results above them, Bristol could rise as high as eighth in table if they can extend their winning streak on Sunday.