Premiership, Six Nations and MLR -January 28, 2024
England’s Premiership Rugby competition, back for 1 weekend will take a long break, until March 22, for a couple of reasons:
First, the Six Nations Tournament kicks off on Friday, February 2nd with France at home to defending Grand Slam champions, Ireland. For the next 6 weeks (until March 16th) the European nations of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy will compete for honors in the Northern Hemisphere’s premier rugby competition. Many elite players representing their country in the 6 Nations play for English clubs so the majority of Premiership matches played during this period would be absent key contributors.
Second, the Premiership season, without the teams who withdrew last year (Wasps, Worcester and London Irish) only has 18 regular season games plus semi-finals and final, down from 26 a year or two ago. Hence the ability to take a break. Top players can experience a less intense season, reducing the risk of fatigue-based injuries, and spectators avoid the dilemma of watching club or country. Win-Win.
So, the Gallagher Premiership resumes on March 22 - 24 for the final 6 games of the regular season. With ⅔ of the games played, Northampton Saints (44 pts) have opened up a lead (albeit only 7 pts) over the next 7 teams ranging from 30 - 37 pts.. Even Gloucester, considered almost out of it until today’s emphatic victory over Sale, are in with a chance of making the Final Four. Of the main contenders, Harlequins lost a squeaker to Leicester on Friday but stay in 2nd place from Bath who also lost (against Bristol in a 100 pt try fest). Defending champions Saracens jumped into 4th from 6th after beating Exeter while Sale dropped to 7th from 5th. Looking to the semi-final spots after 6 more games - it’s wide open!
In Major League Rugby in the US, just ahead of the kick-off of the 2024 season, MLR, USA Rugby and World Rugby announced creation of a new expansion team, Anthem Rugby Carolina which will immediately compete in the competition. Restoring the League to 12 teams, Anthem will allow MLR to pursue a 2-Conference system while acting as a specific focus for development of a better pathway for players to top-flight international rugby.
The new season starts on March 1 and new franchise Anthem will take on last season’s champions, the New England Free Jacks on March 3. Welcome to the MLR!
In France’s Top 14, Round 13 of their 26-round season sees Racing 92 at the top of the League ahead of today’s game against Stade Toulousain (#6). Interestingly, while Racing, Union Bordeaux-Begles and the Toulouse club all qualified for the knock-out segment of the Investec Champions Cup, Stade Francais Paris (currently #2) and RC Toulon (#4) both performed poorly and failed to move on.
The United Rugby Championship plays Round 10 the weekend of February 16 - 16.