PREM team news: How to watch Round One, kick-off times and match officials
Ollie Lawrence of Bath (front left) and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (top right) are among the big guns back in the PREM this weekend.
The opening round of the 2025/26 PREM season is now upon us, with the campaign getting underway in the North West.
This bold new era for the English top flight is perfectly summed up by the league kicking off on a Thursday night, where Sale Sharks face Gloucester under the lights. Friday night sees four further teams get their campaign underway when Newcastle Red Bulls face Saracens and Harlequins take on defending champions Bath.
Rounding off the first weekend of the season, Northampton Saints welcome Exeter Chiefs to the East Midlands, while Bristol Bears take on Leicester Tigers.
Check on all the PREM teams, here.
Thursday
Sale Sharks v Gloucester
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez, 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 Sam Dugdale, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ben Bamber, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (c), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Tom Burrow, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Arron Reed, 23 Tristan Woodman
Gloucester: 15 Charlie Atkinson, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Tomos Williams (c), 8 Jack Clement, 7 James Venter, 6 Freddie Thomas, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Arthur Clark, 3 Afolabi Fasogbon, 2 Jack Innard, 1 Harrison Bellamy
Replacements: 16 Kealan Freeman-Price, 17 Archie McArthur, 18 Kirill Gotovtsev, 19 Cam Jordan, 20 Lewis Ludlow, 21 Caolan Englefield, 22 Will Joseph, 23 Josiah Edwards-Giraud
Venue: CorpAcq Stadium
Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Where to watch: TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and Discovery+
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant Referees: George Selwood and John Meredith
TMO: Peter Allan
Friday
Newcastle Red Bulls v Saracens
Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Oli Spencer, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Max Clark, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Tom Gordon, 6 Cameron Neild, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 4 Oscar Usher, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 George McGuigan (c), 1 Murray McCallum
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Freddie Clarke, 20 Fergus Lee-Warner, 21 Freddie Lockwood, 22 James Elliott, 23 Elliott Obatoyinbo
Saracens: 15 Max Malins, 14 Brandon Jackson, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Ivan van Zyl (c), 8 Tom Willis, 7 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 6 Nathan Michelow, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Theo Dan, 1 Rhys Carre
Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Harry Wilson, 20 Olamide Sodeke, 21 Charlie Bracken, 22 Cameron Hutchison, 23 Noah Caluori
Venue: Kingston Park
Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Where to watch: Discovery+
Referee: Adam Leal
Assistant Referees: Hamish Grant and Jamie Leahy
TMO: Hamish Smales
Andy Goode makes big Owen Farrell claim as ‘proven performer’ set for ‘unbelievable’ finish
Harlequins v Bath
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Nick David, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Sean Kerr, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Jarrod Evans, 9 Will Porter, 8 Alex Dombrandt (c), 7 Will Evans, 6 Jack Kenningham, 5. Kieran Treadwell, 4 Chandler Cunningham-South, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Fin Baxter
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Jordan Els, 18 Ollie Streeter, 19 Jonny Green, 20 Zach Carr, 21 Max Green, 22 Ludo Kolade, 23 Cameron Anderson
Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 Max Ojomoh, 9 Ben Spencer (c), 8 Miles Reid, 7 Guy Pepper, 6 Josh Bayliss, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano
Replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Francois Van Wyk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Ted Hill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Chris Harris, 23 Sam Underhill
Venue: Twickenham Stoop
Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Where to watch: TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and Discovery +
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant Referees: Richard Gordon and Simon Harding
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Sunday
Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs
Northampton Saints: 15 George Hendy, 14 Edoardo Todaro, 13 Tom Litchfield, 12 Fraser Dingwall (c), 11 James Ramm, 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Archie McParland, 8 Callum Chick, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Ed Prowse, 4 Alex Coles, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 Craig Wright, 1 Emmanuel Iyogun
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 JJ Van Der Mescht, 20 Sam Graham, 21 Jonny Weimann, 22 Rory Hutchinson, 23 Toby Thame
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Josh Hodge, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ben Hammersley, 11 Paul Brown-Bampoe, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Ross Vintcent, 7 Ethan Roots (c), 6 Christ Tshiunza, 5 Lewis Pearson, 4 Rusi Tuima, 3 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 19 Dafydd Jenkins, 20 Greg Fisilau, 21 Charlie Chapman, 22 Nick Lilley, 23 Kane James
Venue: cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 13:00 BST
Where to watch: TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and Discovery +
Referee: Joe James
Assistant Referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys and Jonathan Healy
TMO: Dan Jones
Bristol Bears v Leicester Tigers
Bristol Bears: 15 Tom Jordan, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Joe Jenkins, 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Benjamin Grondona, 7 Fitz Harding (c), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Joe Batley, 4. James Dun, 3 George Kloska, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Jake Woolmore
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Sam Grahamslaw, 18 Lovejoy Chawatama, 19 Joe Owen, 20 Viliame Mata, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 23 Josh Carrington
Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Will Wand, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 8 Olly Cracknell, 7 Emeka Ilione, 6 Hanro Liebenberg (c), 5 James Thompson, 4 Cameron Henderson, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie Blamire, 1 Nicky Smith
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Joshua Manz, 20 Joaquin Moro, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Solomone Kata
Venue: Ashton Gate
Kick-off: 15:30 BST
Where to watch: TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and Discovery +
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
Assistant Referees: George Selwood and Calum Howard
TMO: David Rose
READ MORE: PREM Rugby predictions: ‘Apex predator’ Bath backed to ‘build a dynasty’