After a delayed start to the season, thanks to the Rugby World Cup, Rugby Union’s club game in England is back tonight, and perhaps unfortunately England’s best players will be able to join in thanks to their early world cup exit. After a shock to the Premiership establishment last year (with Bath coming second) the tournament looks set to be more open than ever this season.
So here’s my prediction for who might make the play-offs this season.
Bath Rugby
The regular top four in the Premiership in recent year have been Saracens, Northampton, Leicester and Harlequins. With all four making the playoffs consistently between 2012 to 2014. Bath’s ascension to second last season (narrowly losing the finals to Saracens) changed that pattern, with Quins falling down to eighth in the table by the season’s end. Bath are serious contenders this year. Austin Healey notes in his article for the Telegraph that in four of the last five seasons the team that lost the Premiership final went on to win the title the next season. The signing of the former Glasgow Warriors Scrum-Half, Nikola Matawalu, only adds to their strength – he showed his quality in the world cup when playing for Fiji. Moreover, with George Ford at Fly-Half, Bath have potential to rack up a serious amount of points this season.
Northampton Saints
Last year’s League Leaders, Northampton look strong again this year. The table toppers lost to Saracens in the Premiership play-off semi-final, meaning they missed out on the opportunity to win the championship two years in a row. Saints signed the Springbok lock Victor Matfield in September. The 38 year old is the all-time record caps holder for South Africa, collecting 123 since 2001. This will obviously provide a wealth of experience to the team. Northampton also signed the young and talented Munster Fly-half J.J. Hanrahan, as well as Sale Sharks’ forward Michael Paterson. The signings can only strengthen Saints so I can see them once again in the play-offs this season.
Saracens
Last season’s champions Saracens are one of the powers in English club rugby. Owen Farrell’s team have retained much of their winning squad from last season. The Belfast Telegraph reported earlier today that Mark McCall, Saracens’ director of rugby, believes continuity will be key to their defence of the title this season – only transferring in four players this season. With this in mind, it’s not unrealistic to think that the Londoners could remain in the top four this season.
Wasps RFC
Wasps came sixth last season but have the ability to push for a play-off place this season thanks to some excellent transfers. The Kiwi, Charles Piutau, from Cardiff Blues brings a talented and young full-back into of Wasps squad. Two more Kiwis join Wasps this year in the form of Frank Halai and Jimmy Gopperth. The Samoan international prop, James Johnston, also joins the Wasps squad from champions Saracens. Scrum-Half Dan Robson has also joined Wasps from Gloucester. Englishmen Alex Lundberg and Tom Howe have also been promoted from their academy this season promising yet more young talent. More importantly, the 111 international caps Australian George Smith has joined from Lyon. Wasps have also signed 24 year old Englishman, Tom Bristow from Leicester Tigers. Irishman, James Downey, also joins from Glasgow Warriors. Essentially, Wasps have made a lot of signings from top flight clubs this season, as well as some young talent – if they gel they will be a force to be reckoned with.
What about Exeter, Harlequins and Leicester?
Exeter Chiefs missed out on the play-offs last season only because of a points difference. They can definitely contend for it again this season, however, they have a habit of falling just short and I have a feeling they will repeat this habit in the coming season. I could likely be proved wrong though. Chiefs made some excellent signings in Geoff Parling and Julian Salvi to bolster an already experienced back row. Moreover, Young guns like Jack Nowell are hungry for glory – the Cornish side could come out on top this season.
As I said earlier in the article, Leicester and Harlequins have consistently been in the top four in recent years. However, I can see both missing out on the play-offs this season. As a Quins I would love to see us win it this season. I hope I’m wrong, but I feel the teams I mentioned above will get the better of us this season. With key players like Chris Robshaw and Mike Brown taking fire in the media at the moment it will be a case of psychology and mind-set early season that could define the year for us. Hopefully our boys will battle through it. COYQ.
Leicester Tigers did finish in the top four last season. Personally, I can see them falling just short of the play-offs this season. Transferring out big names like Parling and Salvi, as well as promising young talents like Bristow may serve to shoot Tigers in the foot.
However, like I say in the ‘About‘ page, I’m not any sort of Rugby expert so these predictions will likely be out the window by the end of the season.
EDIT: So Quins beat Wasps tonight and newly promoted Worcester beat Saints so my predictions look wrong already.
my ignorant opinion 