There was time for one more round of Gallagher PREM Rugby matches on Friday and Saturday before the league wraps itself in wool for the next couple of months while the Guinness Men’s Six Nations takes place. Roll on Friday 20 March.
There was time for one more round of Gallagher PREM Rugby matches on Friday and Saturday before the league wraps itself in wool for the next couple of months while the Guinness Men’s Six Nations takes place. Roll on Friday 20 March.
As ever, there was some high drama as clubs did their utmost to ensure they went into the break in the best shape possible. Meanwhile, England head coach Steve Borthwick would have been a nervous viewer, hoping nothing befell his charges before the jetted off to Girona for their warm weather camp.
Here’s what made ATR sit up and take notice this weekend…
Gloucester 26-30 Bath
So close. Yes, Gloucester lost again, but it was a much improved performance and one that will have embattled head coach George Skivington breathing a bit better. There will be some frustration that the Cherry and Whites didn’t hold onto the win, but their work rate and attacking play were at the levels we’ve expected from Gloucester over the past few seasons.
On the day that Steve Borthwick announced his England squad, Gloucester inside centre Seb Atkinson reminded everyone that there is another option for the 12 shirt in that squad beyond Max Ojomoh (who put in a solid audition of his own) and Fraser Dingwall. Atkinson carried 15 times and made eight tackles to lay down his claim.
Ted Hill was again overlooked for the England squad but did his best to prove a point to Borthwick. Johann van Graan pushed him into the second row, but he was his usual busy self as 14 tackles and 10 carries demonstrated. Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill received the call, and while many Bath fans complained that number eight Alfie Barbeary was overlooked again, perhaps it is Hill who should most aggrieved at the situation.
Exeter Chiefs 3-8 Bristol Bears
Good lord those were some wet and windy conditions, and we certainly got some rugby that reflected the climatic surrounds down at Sandy Park. The long and the short of it was that Exeter Chiefs lost at home for the first time this season, and that Bristol and Leicester Tigers leapfrogged them into third and fourth, respectively.
The attritional nature of conditions meant that Exeter opened the scoring after Bristol’s discipline went of the window early on, but both teams deserve credit for only giving away six penalties apiece.
Greg Gisilau emphasised why he is part of Steve Borthwick’s England Six Nations squad with 12 carries, and with Bernard Janse van Rensburg eligible for selection come November, it was notable that it was his turnover that effectively sealed the match for his team and won the penalty that James Williams kicked to close out the result.
Harlequins 7-34 Leicester Tigers
Oh Harlequins, we thought you’d turned a corner. After two remarkable victories in the Investec Champions Cup – at home to The Stormers and away to La Rochelle – they came back down to earth in catastrophic fashion and reproduced one of their many performances from earlier in the season, subdued, passive, and lacking in ideas.
To not score until after the clock has ticked past 80 minutes is appalling, no wonder fans were streaming out early on. Their one chink of light came from Chandler Cunningham-Smith with 12 carries and 15 tackles, and captain Cadan Murley deserves credit for his four linebreaks. Otherwise, 30 missed tackles stands out.
Leicester Tigers deserve huge credit. Psychologically, they were one step ahead of Quins, pinned them back in their 22 with a range of kicks the home back three couldn’t handle, and then there was Freddie Steward. The fullback found a weak shoulder to break the defence for his try, and he led carrying with 17. It was a big performance with the Six Nations starting in a fortnight. On this showing, expect Steward to don the 15 jersey in England’s opener.
Saracens 73-14 Newcastle Red Bulls
Another week and another ride on the Saracens rollercoaster after Director of Rugby Mark McCall announced his move to technical adviser at the season’s end, with Brendan Venter coming on board. Add in Jamie George announcing plans for his retirement at the end of 2026-27 and emotions were running high.
They responded well with a 10-try showing, led by wing Noah Caluori with another four for his collection. Alex Lozowski’s return has given the backline more balance with Nick Tompkins back at inside centre, and Owen Farrell at flyhalf, and while Caluori takes the headlines, Rotimi Segun on the opposite wing poses his own significant threat.
As for Newcastle Red Bulls, oh you gave us all so much hope that the bad old days had gone, but here we are, still at the bottom and still will big problems. Yes, we knew it is a long term project, but we had hoped the win over Gloucester in Round 9, plus the two victories in the EPCR Challenge Cup had left those days behind.
It is a sure sign that things haven’t gone your way when the opposition dominate the carrying stats, and three of the top four players for losing turnovers are yours. When two are outside backs, in this case Christian Wade and Ethan Grayson, it is sign that the few chances being created are breaking down. When your not defending well and not taking chances, it really is a bad place to be.
Sale Sharks 29-43 Northampton Saints
Well, that was quite the way for Northampton Saints to sign off, but Sale Sharks will again need to pick through the bones of another frustrating display. The one saving grace for Sharks head coach Alex Sanderson is he has the best part of two months to come up with some solutions.
Saints went through their full repertoire and should and could have been further ahead at halftime, if only Tommy Freeman had caught Rory Hutchinson’s out the back pass with the line at his mercy.
Saints’ England contingent impressed; Freeman scored, Alex Mitchell buzzed around as he always does, and Fraser Dingwall produced a solid inside-centre showing a day after Max Ojomoh laid down a marker the night before. Then there was number eight Callum Chick, who was a ball of energy. But it is the backrow who came on 65 minutes who again takes the plaudits, with Henry Pollock swooping on Freeman’s kick ahead to score late on.
Sale did well to be four points behind at halftime, following a half when they made 11 tackles. They didn’t stint in their work, with four players making over 15 tackles, but they looked flat and lacking in the type of instinct that is second nature for Northampton. They are 16 points off the playoff places, and on this evidence, unlikely to make up the difference.