Bath flying as Saints struggle - Premiership returns

Bath are leading the way in the Premiership as they look to win their first title since 1996

It has been eight weeks since the last Premiership match as the league took a break for the Six Nations throughout February and part of March.

The league returns on Friday with a weekend of derby games in round 12, as clubs face the first of seven matches to conclude the regular season.

Bath lead the way looking to win their first title since 1996, with five clubs behind them separated by only eight points. Defending champions Northampton have endured a disappointing season but are not out of the running either.

BBC Sport examines the state of play as the final third of the 2024-25 campaign begins.

League leaders

Bath won the Premiership Rugby Cup this month for their first trophy since 2008

It has been a notable two months for Premiership leaders Bath and they will be brimming with confidence after ending a 17-year wait for a trophy last weekend, when they beat Exeter to win the Premiership Rugby Cup.

They will hope that is the first of three trophies this campaign.

They have also been rapidly bolstering their team for 2025-26, agreeing new terms with a raft of players including captain Ben Spencer and centre Ollie Lawrence as well as bringing in headline-grabbing names England wing Henry Arundell and Gloucester's Argentina playmaker Santiago Carreras.

They return to league action at home to Gloucester on Sunday in pole position, six points clear at the top but perhaps more crucially 12 points clear of Saracens in fifth.

The only blot during Bath's winter break was the loss of Lawrence, likely for the rest of the season, to an Achilles injury suffered during England's win against Italy.

But you would think only a drastic and unprecedented drop in form would see Johann van Graan's side finish outside the top four.

The challengers

Leicester and Gloucester both missed out on the play-offs last season

After Bath, the fight for the top four is fierce, with only eight points between second-placed Bristol with sixth-placed Harlequins, with Gloucester, Leicester and Saracens in between separated by a single point.

The Bears have not been out of the top four all season and are no longer in European action, so will be able to focus all their efforts solely on the league which might prove crucial.

The third-placed Cherry and Whites are in the best position in the table at this stage of the campaign for the past two seasons after languishing near the bottom.

Their attack has proved a big part of their step forward this season - they have the third highest-scoring tally in the league - but making sure their form does not tail off again will be key as they look to reach their first play-offs since 2019.

The big test for Leicester will be staying focused after coach Michael Cheika confirmed weeks ago he was leaving the club at the end of the season.

The Australian's departure means Tigers are searching for their ninth boss in fewer than nine years, although he said this week the desire to succeed still "burns bright".

Saracens have only missed the top four twice since 2009-10 - when they were relegated.

Losses away to Newcastle and Exeter - albeit both with a number of internationals unavailable - and a heavy defeat by Bath has seen them lose three of their past five but director of rugby Mark McCall did not seem concerned about his team.

Harlequins meanwhile face tough games away at Saracens and Bath over the next two weekends - although can take confidence from the fact they ended a 1,723 day wait for a win against their London rivals in October.

They fell three points short of the top four last season and wins against their major rivals in the next fortnight would put them right into the mix.

Still in the mix

Tommy Freeman scored in every match for England during the Six Nations

Sale and Northampton are in no way out of the running but have ground to make up.

The Sharks' away form is their biggest area for improvement, having lost four out of five games on the road, and their trip to Newcastle on Friday is the first of four away fixtures to end their season. Taking points from those games will be crucial if they want to close the gap above them.

Defending champions Saints are a place below in eighth, a huge 20 points behind Bath and nine points off the top four.

That being said, the performances of their England internationals during the Six Nations will surely rejuvenate the side for the final run-in despite their "backs being against the wall" according to boss Phil Dowson.

Wing Tommy Freeman has been nominated as Six Nations player of the tournament, back row Henry Pollock scored twice on his debut and Fin Smith enjoyed a breakthrough campaign to solidify his place as England's starting fly-half.

Although they were dealt a blow with news that wing Ollie Sleigholme is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

Cut adrift

Newcastle are seeking new investment to secure their status for next season

Exeter and Newcastle bring up the rear and are all-but out of the running for a top four spot, with both having won just two games and sit in ninth and 10th with just 15 and nine points each.

If the table stays as it is, the Chiefs are on track for their lowest league finish since they were promoted to the top flight in 2010-11.

They were dealt another setback as star England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was ruled out for the rest of the season last month.

As for Newcastle, there has been some improvement since Steve Diamond took over but their on-the-field struggles aren't likely to get any easier quickly. News this week confirmed that recruitment is on hold as the club look to secure funding for next season.

Round 12 fixtures

Friday, 21 March

Newcastle v Sale

Northampton v Leicester

Saturday, 22 March

Saracens v Harlequins

Bristol v Exeter

Sunday, 23 March

Bath v Gloucester