FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 6th, 2016

SARACENS HOST WASPS IN SHOWDOWN OF TOP TWO TEAMS IN AVIVA PREMIERSHIP RUGBY THIS SUNDAY AT 11 A.M. ET ON NBCSN

Harlequins v. Northampton Saints – Live on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN

Streaming-Only Coverage on NBCSports.com & the NBC Sports App – Bath Rugby v. Sale Sharks – Tomorrow at 2:45 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 6, 2016 – NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 2016-17 Aviva Premiership Rugby campaign continues this weekend highlighted by a showdown of the top two clubs in the league, as defending champion Saracens (4-0-1) host league-leading Wasps (5-0-0) this Sunday at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN. NBCSN’s coverage begins this Saturday at 10 a.m. ET with live coverage of Harlequins (2-0-3) v. Northampton Saints (2-0-3).

In addition to NBCSN’s pair of matches, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will provide exclusive live streaming coverage of Bath Rugby (4-0-1) v. Sale Sharks (2-1-2) tomorrow at 2:45 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports’ Leigh Diffey will anchor studio coverage for both NBCSN matches this weekend. He will be joined by analyst and former Premiership Rugby player Alex Corbisiero, who played seven combined seasons for London Irish and Northampton Saints.


SARACENS V. WASPS – SUNDAY AT 11 A.M. ET ON NBCSN

Wasps are off to their best start in 20 years, going 5-0-0 for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign, when they went on to win the league title. Wasps have been dominant offensively with 26 tries, nine more than the next closest club. Jimmy Gopperth leads the league with 81 points. Wasps are 7-0-2 in their last nine away Premiership Rugby matches, which includes a 64-23 win at Saracens in Round 12 last season.

Saracens are coming off an impressive 39-0 victory in Round 5 against Bristol, led by Alex Lozowski, who had two tries in the win and is tied for the league lead with four this season. Prior to last season’s Round 12 loss to Wasps, Saracens had beaten the club on eight consecutive occasions.

 

HARLEQUINS V. NORTHAMPTON SAINTS – SATURDAY AT 10 A.M. ET ON NBCSN

Harlequins are coming off a 47-18 defeat to Wasps in Round 5, but return home where they have won both matches this season. Northampton Saints are coming off a 20-19 come-from-behind victory over Exeter Chiefs in Round 5, as Harry Mallinder kicked the winning penalty with two minutes remaining to complete the comeback for the Saints. Northampton have defeated Harlequins in six consecutive matches.

Each weekend, NBC Sports Group will present the most compelling Premiership Rugby matches on the schedule, often preceding or following live coverage of Premier League soccer. The Premiership Rugby season will culminate with live coverage of the league Final on Saturday, May 27 on NBCSN.

Following is NBC Sports Group’s 2016-17 Aviva Premiership Rugby schedule through Round 8 of the season:

Date Coverage Time (ET) Network
Fri., Oct. 7 Bath Rugby v. Sale Sharks 2:45 p.m. Streaming
Sat., Oct. 8 Harlequins v. Northampton Saints 10 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., Oct. 9 Saracens v. Wasps* 11 a.m. NBCSN
Fri., Oct. 28 Northampton Saints v. Gloucester Rugby 2:45 p.m. Streaming
Sat., Oct. 29 Saracens v. Leicester Tigers* 3:30 p.m. NBCSN
Sun., Oct. 30 Exeter Chiefs v. Bath Rugby 10 a.m. Streaming
Fri., Nov. 18 Bath Rugby v. Bristol rugby 2:45 p.m. Streaming
Sun., Nov. 20 Sale Sharks v. Saracens 8 a.m. Streaming
  Leicester Tigers v. Harlequins 10 a.m. Streaming

*denotes same-day delay

PREMIERSHIP RUGBY ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP: NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming of all Premiership Rugby matches airing on NBCSN, as well as exclusive streaming coverage of matches each week, via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

– NBC SPORTS GROUP –