Mike Ford: Bath are ‘favourites’ for the Premiership title but ‘eight’ clubs remain in the race
Ex-England coach Mike Ford previews the return of the Gallagher Premiership.
Mike Ford believes as many as eight teams are capable of being crowned Gallagher Premiership champions on June 14.
Ford’s former club Bath are six points clear at the summit with the competition having taken a two-month break during the Six Nations – a tournament popular with the betting sites UK rugby fans enjoy.
The West Country giants are favourites to win their first league title since 1996, having come agonisingly close last season when losing to Northampton at Twickenham.
Ex-Bath head coach
Under Ford, Bath played an expansive style of rugby and reached the 2015 Premiership final where they lost to Saracens.
“This season, there are probably two teams who won’t win it in Newcastle and Exeter, but the other eight sides could all potentially make the top four and be crowned champions,” Ford told Planet Rugby.
“The play-off system is not dissimilar to rugby league in that if you finish in the top two then you get a home play-off semi-final.
“That’s absolutely huge because there are not many Premiership teams in the last 20 years who have gone away in a semi-final and won.
“I know it’s been done – Saracens won at Northampton, for example – but it’s certainly not easy and finishing in the top two is massive.”
Bath have a star-studded side and claimed a bonus-point win at Sale last time out in the Premiership in January and on Sunday they lifted the Premiership Rugby Cup after beating Exeter in the final.
The vastly-experienced Ford added: “Bath seem to have all but secured one of those top two places.
“They’re six points clear at the top with seven games remaining and have got to be favourites to get to the Premiership final and win it.
“Bath are a club with fantastic support but they have not won it for so long and with that comes pressure.
“Can they handle that pressure? If they get that home semi-final at the Rec, it will be huge for them.
“I think they were unlucky not to win last year’s final against Northampton – Beno Obano was sent off early on – and it would be nice to have a different team winning it.
“Bristol Bears are second and in December they put 54 points on Leicester at Welford Road but then lost 38-0 at home to Sale in their next game.
“Whichever team can grab hold of it and get a run together will have a chance – but the two favourites will be the sides who finish first and second and secure those home semi-finals.
“Of course I’d like Sale to win it with my son George being there, but they will need to sort out their away form if they’re going to go all the way.”
Sale’s solitary Premiership title came 19 years ago but they have emerged as a coming force in recent seasons, making the final in 2022/23 before losing to Bath in the play-off semi-finals last term.
Alex Sanderson’s side had eight players called into the England squad for the pre-Six Nations training camp in Girona and many of them impressed in the Championship run-in.
Sale dark horses
Among them was Sale fly-half Ford and his 59-year-old father continued: “There is a lot of homegrown talent in the Sale ranks now.
“You’ve got the Curry twins, Raffi Quirke, Tom Roebuck, Bevan Rodd and then other guys like Joe Carpenter and Arron Reed.
“Sale are so dominant at home, as their win record there shows, but they don’t pick up as much points on the road.
“They’ve got to cure their away from and it must be a mental thing.
“But I know Alex extremely well and he will be working very hard on that side of the game.
“If Sale can get their away form right in the remaining games, then they could finish in the top two and a home play-off semi-final would give them a great chance given their home record.”