The race for the Guinness Premiership final begins

Mike Catt - on of rugby union's modern greats - is to make his final appearance in the Guinness Premiership this weekend. His retirement will end a quite remarkable career that included two appearances in the World Cup final.

It was Catt who kicked into touch at the end of extra time in the 2003 World Cup final to ensure Australia had no further chance to attack guaranteeing that the William Webb Ellis would come home to Twickenham. The image is almost as iconic in England as Johnny Wilkinson's match-winning drop goal.

Catt's team, London Irish, have almost no chance of making it to the knockout stage of the competition and so Saturday's match against Northampton Saints will be Catt's last game in professional rugby. espite having little to play for, London Irish will be desperate to send the veteran off with a victory.

Northampton have already confirmed their place in the playoffs of the competition. Given that for both teams it is pride rather than position at stake, London Irish's extra motivation for Catt could prove the edge.

Elsewhere in the Guinness Premiership, there is one battle left to be resolved as relegation issues have already been sorted out with Worcester Warriors destined for the drop.

There is only one playoff place left to be decided in the league with the race to secure fourth spot proving one of the most intriguing battles of the season.

Bath are the favourites, as they are three points ahead of London Wasps with just one match remaining, but a failure to beat Leeds Carnegie in their final fixture could prove heartbreaking after an excellent season.

Wasps can only win their game against Newcastle Falcons and hope that they have done enough.

Few anticipated Bath finishing above either Wasps or London Irish at the beginning of the season, but they have exceed expectations, and now sit just one match away from the semi-finals, and the potential of further glory.

Should Bath claim victory in the Guinness Premiership final on the 29th May at Twickenham, it would cap an exceptional campaign.

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