WITH THE PREMIERSHIP RESUMING NEXT WEEKEND, PAUL REES LOOKS AT HOW THE RUNNERS AND RIDERS ARE GEARING UP
THE Premiership resumes this week after an eight-week recess, roughly the time between seasons in 2020 when the pandemic saw everything closed down for five months.
Clubs who were flying high at the end of January will look for a smooth take-off having been grounded while those with engine trouble have had time to repair faults: a restart for some, a reset for others.
Given that eight of the 10 clubs are in contention for a top-four finish – seven points separate Harlequins in second from Bristol in eighth – the long break is not so much likely to change the dynamic as give those who struggle on resumption little time to make up for it.
None of the sides in the top eight has recorded more defeats than victories. It is the same in France’s Top 14 although it is so tight there that La Rochelle are in third despite having a mere 50 per cent record, the same as Toulon who are six places below them. The bonus points debate revisited.
The Top 14 held five rounds during the Six Nations with the United Rugby Championship restricting matches to the two fallow weekends. It left the Premiership, which is made up of fewer clubs, alone in going into hibernation with the main aim to minimise the fixture clashes with England, although players were away on international duty for the last round at the end of January.
The league kicks off again on Friday night when Bristol, who had found form going into the break with four victories in five matches, take on the leaders Northampton whose last Premiership defeat was at Leicester in the middle of November since when they have won six in a row in the top flight.
And the Tigers are at home to Gloucester in a repeat of last Friday night’s Premiership Rugby Cup final, although they are at home rather than at Kingsholm. Leicester were another of the clubs in form, six wins in seven taking them to sixth after a slow start, while their opponents ended a run of nine straight league defeats by beating Sale in the last round.
“We have had a good break and it was good to have a target in the form of a semi-final and final in the Premiership Rugby Cup,” said Gloucester’s director of rugby George Skivington, right. “We are confident with our game going forward now. We developed resilience after going through a tough couple of months.
“The break has not been too bad. We gave the lads a week off, then came in and prepared for the semi-final against Exeter. They had another week off and we have had a couple of weeks getting ready for the final, although the game against Bath last week was a bit of a challenge for us.
“We booked it a long time ago and when we made the final and it was put on a Friday, it meant we did not play anyone who was going to be involved in it against Ba
