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The Gallagher Premiership came to a close on Saturday, with Bath winning their first English title in 29 years.
The Gallagher Premiership came to a close on Saturday, with Bath winning their first English title in 29 years.
Johann van Graan’s team led the table for most of the season, and they completed their job with a 23-21 win over Leicester Tigers at Allianz Stadium.
The league provided jeopardy until the last day of the season, with Sale Sharks, Bristol Bears, Saracens, and Gloucester all pushing for two spots in the playoffs.
There was no jeopardy at the bottom though with Championship winners Ealing Trailfinders failing to meet the Premiership criteria. It meant Newcastle Falcons survived despite recording only two wins and needing a bail out to finish the season.
With an average of 7.7 tries per match, fans are certainly being entertained and that is reflected in a 10 percent rise in the average attendance and a new television deal with TNT Sports/Discovery+ through to 2031.
There’s still room for improvement, and here’s five things ATR would like to see next season from the rechristened Prem Rugby.
More Teams ASAP
We know the reasons, but 10 teams just doesn’t feel like enough for English men’s rugby’s elite club tournament.
It didn’t help that the Championship was allowed to wither, at the same time as Wasps, London Irish, and Worcester Warriors went to the wall. As such ready made replacements weren’t available.
There’s also the tricky issue of Prem teams holding P Shares, which means any team coming up has a hand strapped behind their back. It is a major issue that needs resolving.
Worcester being allowed back into the Championship (or Champ Rugby as it is now) is a good start, and should they win they are ready made for the Prem.
Don’t leave it at 11 teams though. Odd number leagues are awful for the fact that at the end of a weekend’s matches not all the teams have played an equal number of fixtures.
With only five matches over a weekend, it often means only two in the usual Saturday afternoon slot. More teams equal more matches, and more narrative at a time when the English sporting public expect it.
Broadcasting The Excitement
TNT Sports/Discovery+ do a great job covering the Prem for television, while BBC and TalkSPORT provide equally excellent reporting on radio.
What they need is more to report on, starting with more matches.
The final day of the Prem season clashed with an international football weekend. It meant that rugby was the headline act on BBC 5Live’s Saturday afternoon coverage.
Led by award wining commentator Chris Jones, they bounced around the grounds keeping listeners up to date on what was happening and how it would affect the chase for the playoff places.
TNT did something similar with their television coverage, and both were excellent. It is a shame then that the final day of the season is the only time that happens.
There are around eight international football weekends throughout the season, but the lack of elite clubs and the lack of Saturday afternoon fixtures mean that Prem Rugby doesn’t receive that type of coverage which it does so well.
TV Highlights – Hurry Them Up
Which brings up onto the television highlights show.
For those who don’t know, ITV carries the Prem highlights in England and generally do a good job. Our main grouse it that it takes them so long to go to air.
Yes, it is on the ITV Steaming platform ITV X early in the week for those hardcore fans who are happy to search for it and suffer the platforms idiosyncrasies, but why then does it only go out on free to air on Wednesday evening?
Highlights are turned around remarkably quickly, and TNT does a great job of showing theirs as part of their Sunday afternoon coverage.
If they’re ready, show them in a slot that works for all ages before the narrative of the weekend has moved on. Monday evening at the latest.
There was a long campaign to get a Rugby Special (ask your grandparents) style programme, and now that there is one, why bury it in the schedule?
Newcastle Falcons – Will Red Bull Give Them Flight?
Newcastle Falcons have become a barometer of the Prem’s health.
Out on their own in the north-east, there is a real fear that if they go under elite English men’s club rugby will barely exist across the north, with the exception of Sale Sharks.
Hence why the Premiership and other club made sure they stayed a going concern.
Now though Red Bull have swooped in, and all their worries are gone. Well, the financial ones at least, with the drinks company digging into their deep pockets to pay off all the club’s creditors.
The hope must be that goes beyond bringing in players to make them able to challenge.
Red Bull must be allowed do what they do best. That is create a buzz around the club and players that is the start of the Falcons more than making up the numbers.
Oh finally, can someone please put the television cameras on the other side of Kingston Park.
Newcastle have a lovely, modern main stand, but the main camera looks out from that stand onto the other side. That means viewers are treated to shots of a pavilion clubhouse you see at most clubs, a car par, and the bins.
It looks awful and doesn’t shout elite sport in the least.
Don’t Run Scared of R360
Prem Rugby Chief Executive Simon Massie-Taylor described the Mike Tindall-backed R360 as “a distraction.”
While it makes sense to keep an eye on the latest revolutionary idea, those in power would do well not to pay it too much heed such are the multitude of questions around it.
The Prem final on Saturday showed what could be achieved when rugby is presented in the right way, and Harlequins, Bristol Bears, and Saracens have also taken matches to major stadia and reaped the rewards this season.
It is also indicative that Bath owner Bruce Craig has gone quiet on his idea of having a franchise system now that his team have been crowned champions.
There will always be calls for revolution. The best response is to take the best bits and roll them into the product that is already there.
Do we want innovation? Yes. Do we think minimum standards are a good idea? Yes. Do we want a travelling circus featuring tired players traipsing around the globe? No.