Ugo Monye on Gallagher Premiership derby weekend - 'This is as close as you’ll get to an international in club colours’

There’s something special about sporting rivalries, which is why the Gallagher Premiership Rugby is offering up a feast this weekend.

To the victor go the spoils as we head into round six of the competition - but there’s far more than just points and a chance to move up the table at stake. With five blockbuster derbies in the offing, players, coaches and fans alike will be desperate to get one over their local rivals and claim the bragging rights.

The games continue to come thick and fast on TNT Sports and we spoke to former England international and Harlequins legend Ugo Monye to get his take on where this weekend of rugby ranks for him.

“Everyone knows the big dance is in June down at Twickenham, but by having this derby weekend, you're almost replicating a similar feel of it,” Monye said. “This is as close as you'll get to an international match in club colours because of the sheer quality, because of the atmosphere it provides and because it means more than just the four or five points.

“There's bragging rights at stake. People are there marking their territory and defending their territory, it's as simple as that. So whether you're Bristol or Bath, Exeter or Gloucester, or Newcastle and Sale fighting to be the powerhouse up north, wherever it is. The London derby with Quins and Saracens, it means more, it just means that much more.

“Everyone understands the emotion, the passion that's involved in any rivalry across any sport, but I do think it brings an extra edge when you play a physical contest as well. Because you can express yourself in so many different ways and one of the ways in which you express yourself on the rugby pitch is by the physicality which you can put on. I can't wait."

There are fascinating clashes wherever you look. First up, Bath welcome Bristol Bears live on TNT Sports as two attacking teams lock horns at the Recreation Stadium.

The hosts, buoyed by the arrival of Finn Russell at fly-half and Thomas du Toit in the front row, sit third after three wins from five and are fresh from putting 45 points past Gloucester last time out, while the visitors lie seventh.

“Every single derby has a slightly different narrative,” Monye added. “So like Friday night, we know how Bristol try and play, which is high octane and really exciting but that's how Bath try and play.

“I think people forget towards the end of last season, they racked up four or five try-winning bonus points in a row and snuck into Europe off the back of that. They then go to Gloucester last week and put 40 points on them, and you've got Finn Russell at 10.

“I’m just really excited about watching that. Two towns that have rugby at the epicentre of it.”

Sale Sharks and Newcastle Falcons are also set to battle it out on Friday night ahead of a similarly showpiece Saturday that sees Leicester Tigers take on Northampton Saints before Harlequins and Saracens renew their age-old rivalry.

“We asked the fans last week and they said that the biggest rivalry in the Premiership is Leicester-Northampton and I kind of agree with that to a certain extent,” Monye continued.

“But you've got Leicester, who have lost four out of five, trying to rediscover some form and get themselves back to where they want to be, and you’ve got a Northampton team that’s young and a predominantly English side that plays so wonderfully well.

“Since retiring I've just become a fan with a microphone – that's how I see it. As a player, it focuses the attention. It’s just a weekend you know you need to perform.

“So my old team Harlequins up against Saracens, the history of the two clubs going at it together, they're two teams that have produced so many quality England players and other internationals, so the likelihood, regardless what position you're playing in, you're probably going to be up against an international.

“This year is a special year because you're probably going to be playing against people who’ve just been playing at the World Cup.

“Harlequins let us know today that it's the largest ever crowd that they've ever had, there's not a single seat available anywhere. So in terms of the fans and public response to it, they love it.

“They want to see this, they want to see Marcus Smith going up against Owen Farrell and all the other head to heads that it provides. For me as a commentator or a pundit, I've probably got a similar thought process as I did as a player.

“Because I know it’s a significant weekend you really want to be on top of your game for these games that really deliver some magical moments.”

Finally, Gloucester will look to bounce back from their second-half capitulation against Bath last weekend and arrest a run of three straight defeats when they travel to Exeter Chiefs on Sunday.

Monye expressed his admiration for how the young Chiefs have coped after losing a heap of star power last year and said he expects that contest to provide a fitting finale to the derby extravaganza.

“Exeter v Gloucester is just class. You’ve got this Exeter young side who are just flying, absolutely flying, and this Gloucester side which has so much quality, whether it's Louis Rees-Zammit, Santi Carreras, or wherever you look, there's internationals and British and Irish Lions everywhere.

“It's amazing.”

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