Five Teams in the Running for Top Four Spots as Bath Lead the Charge

As the Premiership season reaches its climax, five teams are still in the running for the top four spots, with Bath leading the charge and a spot in the play-offs within their grasp. The final day of the season promises to be a thrilling one, with Leicester, Sale, Bristol, Gloucester, and Saracens all vying for a place in the top four.

Bath, who have dominated the season with 14 wins and a 15-point lead at the top of the table, have already secured first place and a home semi-final. They will face the team that finishes fourth on Friday, June 6, while the team that finishes second will host the team that finishes third on Saturday, June 7.

Leicester, who are second in the table with 56 points, have a relatively simple task ahead of them. They need to beat Newcastle at home, and with a two-point cushion over third-placed Sale, they are well placed to secure a home semi-final. However, if they were to lose, they would still have a chance of finishing in the top four, as at least three results would need to go against them.

Sale, who are third in the table with 54 points, visit Exeter on Saturday, and a win would cement their place in the top four. They have a trick up their sleeve, as they have the most league wins of any club aside from Bath, which would see them finish above any of their competitors if they end the season on the same number of points.

Bristol, who are currently fourth in the table with 53 points, face a highly unpredictable Harlequins side at Ashton Gate. Victory would guarantee a top-four finish, but anything less than that and they will be looking over their shoulders, with Gloucester and Saracens ready to strike.

Gloucester, who are fifth in the table with 51 points, need to beat Northampton at home to have any chance of sneaking into the top four. They would need Sale to lose without any bonus points or Bristol to lose, and even then, they would still need to finish above Leicester on points difference.

Saracens, who are also fifth in the table with 51 points, host Bath at StoneX Stadium, but their play-off hopes were dealt a huge blow at Northampton two weeks ago. They need results to go their way and to win by a big margin to have any hope, although they are facing a substantially understrength Bath side.

The final day of the season promises to be a thrilling one, with all five games kicking off at 15:05 BST on Saturday, May 31. The stakes are high, and the teams will be giving it their all to secure a spot in the play-offs.

“It’s going to be a massive day,” said Leicester coach Richard Cockerill. “We know what we need to do, and we’re confident we can get the job done.”

“We’re in a great position, but we can’t take anything for granted,” said Sale coach Alex Sanderson. “We need to focus on our own game and make sure we get the result we need.”

The play-offs are within reach for these five teams, and the final day of the season promises to be an unforgettable one.

Fixtures for Saturday, May 31:

Bristol v Harlequins

Exeter v Sale

Gloucester v Northampton

Leicester v Newcastle

Saracens v Bath