Who can make the Premiership play-offs?
Northampton and Saracens have already secured their Premiership play-off places with two more spots remaining
- Published
The regular Premiership season comes to an end this Saturday with the 18th and final round of games to decide who will secure a place in the play-offs.
The race for the top four is the closest it has ever been, with only 11 points separating first place from seventh - the last time it was this close was in 2007-08, when the gap was 15 points.
Northampton have already clinched a home semi-final and Saracens have a spot in the top four. Two more places remain up for grabs. Any teams level on points after full-time will be separated first by wins, then by points difference.
BBC Sport looks at the final-day fixtures and who needs what to reach the play-offs.
Northampton: 1st, 60 points, play Bath away
Ollie Sleightholme leads the way in the Premiership for tries this season, with 14
Northampton have led the way in the Premiership for much of this season and their 90-0 demolition of Gloucester last weekend secured an all-important home semi-final at Franklin's Gardens.
Saints are hoping to claim their first Premiership title since their sole crown, in 2014, but with the home play-off spot secured the question is how Saints will approach their final game, away to Bath.
The club have never reached the final since their victory 10 years ago, despite four appearances in the semi-finals since. Two points against Bath will secure them top spot in the table, but how much will they rotate their side?
"We want to be top of the table," head coach Sam Vesty told BBC Radio Northampton.
"We're playing now for who wants to show that I should be playing in the next game as well. The competition in our squad is very strong, very healthy."
Saracens: 2nd, 56 points, play Sale at home
Brothers Billy and Mako Vunipola will leave Saracens at the end of the season
Defending champions Saracens, the six-time winners, know more than most teams how to peak in the Premiership at the right time.
Aside from the seasons they were relegated and in the Championship, Saracens have finished in the top four in every campaign since 2008-09.
This season, however, has not seen them railroad through the league and the noise around captain Owen Farrell's departure - and confirmation this week that Billy and Mako Vunipola will be following - has often detracted goings-on on the field.
But Saracens have looked formidable in recent games. A narrow win away to rivals Bath was a real statement of intent, before they showed their class to brush aside Bristol and claim another top-four spot, despite enduring 10 minutes down to 13 men.
"We're playing our best rugby and probably have got our best team energy at the right time," director of rugby Mark McCall told BBC Radio London.
If they beat Sale, Saracens will finish second. Even a loss might be enough, if Bath also do not win, although the score has to finish with them within three match points of the Sharks.
Bath: 3rd, 55 points, play Northampton at home
Bath have fly-half Finn Russell back from injury in time for the end of the season
A place in the play-offs for the first time since 2019-20 would cap the journey Bath have been on over the past two years under Johann van Graan.
They have their fate in their own hands and need one point from their final game. If Saracens fail to beat Sale they can also leapfrog them into second and take home advantage in the semi-finals.
Standing in Bath's way, however, is a formidable Northampton side, who have not only set the standard so far this season but also came out on top 24-18 when they met in November.
"It's going to be a difficult one but we've got to put our best foot forward and hopefully get a result," flanker Ted Hill told BBC Radio Bristol.
"It's not so important what they bring - it's more about what we can do and put out onto the field."
Sale: 4th, 52 points, play Saracens away
Sale's consistency since March has seen them return to the top four on the eve of the final round of games
Sale's late surge has seen them creep back into the top four right when it matters most, at the crescendo of the season.
Last year's finalists have struggled to find the form that took them to Twickenham last spring, and a run of four league defeats to start 2024 dropped them to seventh.
A do-or-die win against Exeter revived their chances and they have shown the necessary consistency to back it up with wins against Harlequins, Newcastle and Leicester.
If they beat Saracens they will be in the top four, but lose and it will allow teams below them to take their spot.
Exeter: 5th, 50 points, play Leicester away
Exeter brushed aside near rivals Harlequins to move fifth going into the final weekend
After the number of changes Exeter have undergone in the past 12 months, director of rugby Rob Baxter is just happy his team still have "something to fight for" going into the final match, after a massive 58-26 win against Harlequins.
A bonus-point win over Leicester is a must. After that, if Bath lose and do not pick up any bonus points against Northampton, or if Sale lose to Saracens, Exeter would jump above them.
Harlequins: 6th, 50 points, play Bristol at home
Care's Harlequins need to win and hope results go their way
If Harlequins miss out on a place in the top four, scrum-half Danny Care says the team would be "disappointed".
"I think this club should be playing in the top four of the Premiership, so we've got to have a look at that and where we potentially went wrong and dropped points this year," he added to BBC Radio London.
While Quins are not out of the running, they need to beat Bristol and hope that Sale lose and Exeter are beaten, or do not win with a bonus point while picking one up themselves.
And with a lower win tally and the worst points difference of the clubs around them, a bonus-point win would be more certain to put them in the top four - even if Sale pick up points with a loss.
Bristol: seventh, 49 points, play Harlequins away
Bristol have been one of the top-scoring sides in the Premiership this season
While mathematically Bristol are not out of contention, the 40-21 loss to Saracens in their final home game took control in the play-off race away from them.
They need to beat Harlequins and hope Sale and Exeter lose, and Bristol's superior points difference could yet prove decisive if bonus points come into play.
Still, this season marks considerable improvement from the Bears, who have finished 10th and ninth in the past two campaigns.
"We're in the mix which is a testament to the good work the boys have done all season," director of rugby Pat Lam said this week.
Premiership play-off dates
The two semi-finals will take place on 31 May and 1 June.
Northampton will face whoever finishes fourth, at Franklin's Gardens in the first play-off match on Friday, 31 May, with kick-off at 19:45 BST.
Second place will then take on third place on Saturday, 1 June with kick-off at 15:00 BST.
The two winners will face each other in the final at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 8 June at 15:00 BST.