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For the first time in a long time there is the possibility that Gallagher PREM Rugby will end the round with a team that isn’t Newcastle Red Bulls bottom. Over the past few seasons, the Red Bulls, or Falcons as they once were have occupied bottom spot, something not helped by going winless in the 2023-24 season.
Now though, they could finally be moving up. To do so they need to beat Exeter Chiefs on Friday night with a bonus point, and hope Harlequins don’t take anything from their trip to Bristol Bears. Mathematically, they could do it with a four-point win, but that would require a 112-point swing such is the points difference between Red Bulls and Quins.
It will also be a weekend of bumper crowds with three of the five fixtures taking place in football stadiums. Saracens versus Northampton Saints will be played in the 62,850 capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gloucester and Leicester Tigers meet in Aston Villa’s 42,640 capacity Villa Park in Birmingham, while Bristol Bears cross the River Severn into Wales to take on Harlequins in the 74,500-capacity Principality Stadium.
Here’s ATR’s view on what to expect…
Newcastle Red Bulls v Exeter Chiefs – Friday, 19.45 (all times local)
Newcastle Red Bulls may have their sights set on 11th place, but to do so the current crop of players will have to win against their future teammates, who they will be fighting for a starting place next season.
Exeter centre Will Rigg, fullback Josh Hodge, and back row Rusi Tuima will all head to England’s northeast at the season’s end, which means newly installed interim head coach Stephen Jones might have the easiest team talk of his career. All he needs to point out that the players who are trying to keep them bottom are also the ones who will be trying to take their starting place next season.
Of course, Newcastle will need to be at their best against an Exeter team who have been boosted by returnees from the Guinness Men’s Six Nations and injury. Italy’s Ross Vintcent missed the Six Nations, but returned against Sale Sharks with a try, eight carries, 18 tackles, and two turnovers. With Tom Hooper and Greg Fisilau occupying the other backrow positions, he completes a well-balanced back row. Getting off the bottom won’t be easy.
Gloucester v Leicester Tigers – Saturday, 13.00
A match that will be emotionally charged with Ed Slater and Lewis Moody two of a handful of players who are fighting Motor Neurone Disease (MND) after stellar careers. Slater announced his diagnosis in 2022 and immediately retired. As an ex-player for both teams the Ed Slater Cup will be on the line along with PREM points.
Gloucester had a confidence-boosting win over Harlequins a week ago, but they are unlikely to be face a defence as porous against a Tigers side who are into the playoffs and looking up the table.
Flyhalves Charlie Atkinson and Billy Searle are really into their rhythm. Atkinson scored a try and three conversions against Quins and weighed in with eight carries. Tigers’ Billy Searle is really enjoying the system Geoff Parling has created for him that gives him plenty of chance to run. Against Bristol Bears he led carrying with 24 carries for 108 metres which helped him to two tries. Don’t expect this match to be dull.
Bristol Bears v Harlequins – Saturday, 15.30
Bristol Bears will have been disappointed to leave Mattioli Woods Welford Road without a point, considering that the bulk of their squad was kept in situ during the Six Nations. Only England’s Ellis Genge, Scotland’s Tom Jordan and Wales’s Louise Rees-Zammit were away, so the rest of the squad should have been primed and ready to push the Tigers closer than they did.
Back at Ashton Gate, the Bears should show their claws against a dispirited Harlequins. Against Leicester, Bristol’s constituent parts all worked well, just not as well as the Tigers. Captain Fitz Harding was his usual busy self on the flank, Gabriel Oghre was a ball of energy at hooker, and Kalaveti Ravouvou was his usual powerful and hard running self on the wing. If it clicks early, they could be on for a heavy victory.
Despite the loss, Harlequins should expect a period of calm after they confirmed that ex-Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans will become the club’s performance director from next season, with interim senior coach Jason Gilmore becoming head coach. There has been too much confusion over who was running the show, confusion that was reflected in below par performances.
Saracens v Northampton Saints – Saturday, 18.00
Two teams who have never seen eye to eye, and a chance to knock the other down, while improving their own position, so plenty on the line in north London. A Saracens win would keep them in touch of the playoffs and leave Northampton vulnerable on top. A Northampton victory would keep them out front on top and knock Saracens’ playoff charge.
Saracens will be licking their wounds after shipping over 60 points in defeat to Bath, while also failing to score after the 28th minute. Tobias Elliott was Saracens’ shining light with two tries, 13 carries and three linebreaks.
Northampton’s single point win over Newcastle Red Bulls is likely to be a signal for the Six Nations players to return, though injury rules out Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles. Archie McParland filled in for Mitchell at scrumhalf, and scored the opening try, He kept the tempo high and looked for little snipes at the edges of the breakdown. Saints will miss Mitchell’s experience but in the 21-year-old they have a player who fits their system seamlessly.
Sale Sharks v Bath – Sunday, 15.00
Sale Sharks haven’t had a very enjoyable start to 2026, with only one win from their five PREM and Investec Champions Cup matches, and now they are set to face the defending champions who went straight into their stride after the Six Nations.
With Dan du Preez off to The Rec at the season’s end, and Ben and Tom Curry both injured, a lot of attention will fall on what Jacques Vermeulen and Sam Dugdale will bring. Last week they both carried six times, while Dugdale made 10 tackles and Vermeulen nine. Respectable, but both need to be higher to help Sale turn their fortunes around.
As for Bath, if there are any question over why they are so good, it goes down to basics. Last week Saracens players occupied six of the top 10 carry places, with Theo Dan top with 14. However, Bath players dominated the tackling stats with eight of the 10 leading tacklers in blue, black and white. Tom Dunn and Charlie Ewels made 14 each, Archie Griffin and Josh Bayliss 13 apiece, and Beno Obano and Miles Reid brought down their opponent 12 times.
It shows that they spread the work out across the team, with each player playing their part to the max, and not just looking to one or two individuals. Their play may be silky, but there is steel behind it.