While the domestic Irish game continues its Christmas hibernation, there is no such respite for London Irish. Scarcely 72 hours after their distressing injury-time defeat to Harlequins at the Stoop on Saturday, Willie Anderson's exiles take on second-placed Saracens in Sunbury tonight (7.30).

Anderson has felt obliged to make four changes to the team which extended Harlequins to a fortunate 2624 victory on Saturday - at halfback and in the front-row. David Humphreys returns at out-half, despite the facial wounds sustained against Italy, and will partner Peter Richards, with Sean Burns and Niall Hogan moving to the replacements' bench.

Hooker Tony Redmond also moves to the bench, while loosehead Justin Fitzpatrick is completely rested, with Rob Kelham and Liam Mooney returning to the team.

The video re-run of the Harlequins defeat - the Exiles' seventh in eight games which leaves them precariously placed above only Bristol on points difference - didn't make for pleasant viewing either.

"It was unbelievable," said Anderson. "Three minutes from the end of normal time, the touch judge is signalling that the entire Harlequins back-line were offside, but the referee (Steve Lander) didn't see it." The ensuing penalty, from in front of the posts, had Niall Woods kicked it, would have put Irish eight points ahead and thus made Quins' converted injury-time try irrelevant.

Woods will retain the kicking duties despite an untypical drop in his strike rate - missing four kicks at goal including two eminently-kickable ones. Ironically, his performance was excellent in all other areas, most notably his running from broken play and his tackling.

Anderson was generally encouraged by Irish's running game and feels that a repeat will push Saracens close. However, the upwardly mobile Saracens, financed by Nigel Wray and led by player-coach Francois Pienaar, have won seven of their eight games with a form guide that is almost diametrically opposed to that of London Irish.

They will also have been stung by their injury-time defeat at home to Leicester on Friday when they were watched by a club record of 14,000plus.

A big crowd is also expected for this game, especially as the Harlequins-Bristol match has been moved to tomorrow night. Irish desperately need to start winning games soon if they are to avoid another backs-against-the-wall fight against relegation and, as an aside, boost the morale of several players likely to feature in Ireland's Five Nations campaign.

Another casualty of London Irish's last fixture was Harlequins' Will Carling who was substituted during the match. His troubled season continued when he discovered that he has broken his right hand and will be out for up to four weeks.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are poised to confirm that English rugby's traditional pecking order belongs in the past.

They play Leicester tomorrow and if they can achieve the away double over Bath and the Tigers - England's near-monopolists of trophies - they will become red-hot favourites for the Premiership title.

On the first day of the season, they defeated Bath. In between, they have maintained a 100 per cent domestic record and reached the semifinal of the European Conference.

Even cautious Rob Andrew, Newcastle's rugby director, concedes that a win at a packed Welford Road would impress the rest of the Premiership.

"It is the biggest test of our championship credentials so far. If we win, we can face any challenge with increased confidence.

"But we have not even played one third of our Premiership fixtures. We have given ourselves no more than a solid platform.

"The league is not won here. It will be won in April or May, and we want to be still at the top when the music stops."

Newcastle have thrived without the regular services of three Lions, and Andrew said: "Full-back Tim Stimpson and Tony Underwood have been unfit, and John Bentley has been left out. But all three will be available when we pick the team tomorrow." They have, however, had the services of Irish internationals Nick Popplewell and Ross Nesdale.

A couple of wins either side of Christmas have hoisted Leicester to third place, and they want to ensure that the old order is restored.

Bath are also determined to put the newly-promoted rich clubs in their place, although they are still below half-way and six points adrift of Newcastle.

As he prepared his team to host Northampton, Recreation Ground coach Andy Robinson said: "We have not hit top gear yet and are looking for a bit of style as we build towards the European Cup final."

The one certain prediction for the top flight is that champions Wasps will not retain their title. They play high-flying Richmond after just one win in eight Premiership games and admit that they are unrecognisable in skill terms compared with the start of 1997.

Tonight's Matches (7.30 unless stated): Bath v Northampton (3.0); Leicester v Newcastle (7.45); London Irish v Saracens; Sale v Gloucester; Wasps v Richmond.