Record-breaking Gallagher Premiership weekend raises expectations for 2024

Record-breaking Gallagher Premiership weekend raises expectations for 2024

The curtain came down on 2023 with a record-breaking round of Gallagher Premiership Rugby action which has our appetites well and truly whetted for 2024.

Round 10 saw a remarkable 152,101 fans come through the gates, including sell-outs at Saracens, Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, and more than 76,000 fans at Big Game 15.

Those fans were treated to some spectacular rugby, and heading into the New Year, it would take a brave man to predict which teams will be challenging for the title come the start of June.

Just three points separate the top six after ten rounds, and that is without considering Leicester Tigers, who are lurking following their bonus-point success over Bath Rugby on New Year’s Eve.


If you want unpredictability, consider that currently none of the last three Gallagher Premiership Rugby champions – Saracens, Tigers and Harlequins – are even in the top four.

You would think that at least one of the trio will make it to the semi-finals, but there are no guarantees considering the form of those ahead of them.


With eight rounds remaining, the clock is already ticking with every match absolutely crucial – particularly next weekend’s final set of games in the festive fixtures.

Saracens travel to Mattioli Woods Welford Road for a repeat of the 2022/23 final, with both teams in desperate need of a win. Meanwhile, leaders Northampton Saints will try to become the first team to conquer Sandy Park this season in the battle of the top two.

After that, attentions will turn back towards Europe, where seven of the eight Gallagher Premiership Rugby sides in the Investec Champions Cup are currently in line to reach the last 16.

Add in some emerging talents across the league and world-class finishes week in, week out, and it is an exciting time to be a fan of club rugby.

With that in mind, let us focus on two of the feelgood stories of this first half of the season:

 

Saints showing their mettle

There was never any doubt that Northampton Saints could produce rugby from the gods if given time on the ball.

The question was how they would cope when put under intense pressure in the biggest games. We will have to wait until the end of the season to see if they can shine in the play-off spotlight, but the signs are certainly promising.

Against Sale Sharks on Saturday, they trailed 14-0 and were still ten points adrift heading into the final quarter.

Even at home, that is far from the ideal scenario, but Saints are a different beast this season. They never doubted and worked their way back with tries from George Furbank and Alex Mitchell, followed by a penalty try to complete the comeback 21-17 win.

They deservedly sit top of the pile at the end of 2023, and have now won three on the trot despite trailing after an hour.

As well as Furbank and Mitchell, Fin Smith continues to grow at fly-half in his second season at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens – little wonder a tug of war is beginning over his international future with Scotland reportedly keen to call him up. On this form, you can see why.

Chiefs young guard ahead of schedule

Next up for Saints is one of the toughest tasks in the league right now, a trip to Sandy Park to take on Exeter Chiefs.

It has become a cliché to talk about Exeter’s transition season turning into something more, but expect more of that chat if they make it a hat-trick of wins in the Christmas Crunch.

After a thumping win over Leicester Tigers, they went to Bristol and battled to maximum points on Friday night.

They are now just a point behind Saints and have both the best attack and the best defence in the league. Following all the high-profile departures in the summer, Rob Baxter and his coaching staff have done a remarkable job.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was the name on everybody’s lips after that game, scoring one try and making two more in the 24-14 success.

Like Saints’ Smith, Feyi-Waboso’s international future is now a major talking point, eligible for both Wales and England. With his combination of pace, footwork and power – just rewatch how he went through Steven Luatua for Jacques Vermeulen’s bonus-point try for evidence – Feyi-Waboso looks to have all the ingredients to succeed at the highest level.

And it is not just out wide that Chiefs are finding gems. Josh Iosefa-Scott has been in and around the squad for some time now, but nobody expected him to become a try-scoring machine. At close quarters, he seems to be able to generate power that few can repel, notching nine tries in 2023. With a try every 87 minutes on the park, that is some going for a tighthead prop.

Like Saints, Chiefs are two from two in Europe and with every added win, expectation in Devon will be rising.

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