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Now with extra motivation to deliver club stalwart Ben Youngs the ultimate send off, Leicester Tigers are hitting their strides at just the right time.
With Bath virtually home and dry at the top of the table, Bristol Bears' grip of second place has been lost to Leicester, who blew away their competitors at Ashton Gate last weekend.
England internationals have found a new gear
Freddie Steward is showing a new side to his game with attacking potency and physical carries. Jack van Poortvliet is showing that he's far from purely a box-kicking, pragmatic nine with energetic line breaks and a keen eye for the try line, while new signing Adam Radwan has hit the ground running since his move from Newcastle, with four tries in his first six outings.
Leicester's pack is rock solid, with Olly Cracknell proving a menace at the breakdown and Tommy Reffell a tackle machine.
The Tigers endured a disappointing season last term, finishing eighth, which resulted in Dan McKellar's removal as head coach. Former Australia and Argentina boss, Michael Cheika, has been at the helm for this campaign and, after a slow start, has picked up momentum with three wins from their last five.
| # | Team | PL | W | L | D | PD | BP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bath Rugby | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 202 | 13 | 61 |
| 2 |  Leicester Tigers | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 57 | 12 | 46 |
| 3 |  Bristol Bears | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 38 | 14 | 46 |
| 4 |  Sale Sharks | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 8 | 44 |
| 5 |  Saracens | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 44 |
| 6 |  Gloucester Rugby | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 13 | 41 |
| 7 |  Harlequins | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | -2 | 12 | 38 |
| 8 |  Northampton Saints | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | -5 | 9 | 33 |
| 9 |  Exeter Chiefs | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | -85 | 9 | 21 |
| 10 |  Newcastle Falcons | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | -275 | 4 | 12 |
Crunch games to come
The Midlanders face a Harlequins side which appears to be there for the taking after being well beaten by Leinster and Sale Sharks in recent weeks.
It's then Sale at home next for Tigers on May 9 in a huge game that could provide the winner a home semi-final and the possibility for the loser to miss out on the play-offs entirely - such is the competitiveness of the league.
Bath away looks a daunting proposition for any side in the Premiership, however with it being the penultimate round of the campaign, Johann van Grann may opt to rest his big stars with a home semi likely already bagged by then.
Leicester finish their campaign at home to Newcastle, which is the easiest fixture on paper. Therefore, at least three wins from four looks realistic for England's most decorated side, with a home play-off match at Mattioli Woods Welford Road looking to be on the horizon.
