Premiership Rugby: Five bold predictions including broken records, the Michael Cheika effect and shock Newcastle Falcons call
Here are our bold predictions for the 2024/2025 Premiership season!
After a gripping summer of Test rugby, the focus once again returns to the domestic game with the return of the Premiership.
Northampton Saints come into the season with a huge target on their backs now after their title triumph last time out, and the likes of Bath will more than up for the fight to take the trophy off them. Elsewhere, there are again serious discussions around the play-off battles and
Here are our five bold predictions ahead of the Premiership season.
Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers to make the playoffs
The gap is certainly narrowing at the top of the Premiership, so there is likely to be some change to the top four again this year. Exeter came into last year as a relatively unknown entity following the mass exodus from Sandy Park; but they quickly showed they were just as good as before. The Chiefs eager youngsters delivered far beyond what was expected of them, and they pushed for a top four spot the whole season and had a good go of it in Europe too; the challenge for them now is if they can turn that promise into a playoff berth. They are certainly good enough to get there, and their exploits last year should now give them the experience to kick on and reach the top four.
2024/25 Premiership: Club-by-club guide to the new season including title odds and transfers
Leicester, on the other hand, come into this new campaign with a fresh outlook following the appointment of Michael Cheika; and it could see them reach the playoffs. The Tigers had a very inconsistent season last time out, and struggled to find any sense of genuine identity, but Cheika has been very open on his desire to get Leicester back to the style of play that made them such a good outfit. Add in the quality they’ve brought to Mattioli Woods Welford Road, and you have a serious playoff contender in the making.
Thomas du Toit to win Player of the Season
Bath come into the campaign as title favourites, and if they do end up lifting the title at the Allianz Stadium (?!?) it will likely have Thomas du Toit’s fingerprints all over it.
Finn Russell might be the focal point of this Bath side, with his X-factor approach taking the West Country outfit up another gear, but a crucial factor behind Bath’s rapid improvement has been in the scrum and du Toit has been at the heart of that. His solidity in this departments has completley transformed their fortunes around in this department and made it a really consistent weapon. As we saw in the final too, he can be a real threat around the park too and he certainly gets through some work for his team.
Prop’s don’t normally get much of the spotlight, but du Toit definitely deserves his time under it.
Christian Wade to break the Premiership try scoring record
Former Wasps winger Christian Wade is back in the Premiership with Gloucester, and you feel he has one thing on his mind this year – the try record. Wade currently sits on 82 tries following his deadly exploits at Wasps, and is 18 tries behind Chris Ashton’s tally of 101.
He will need to increase his strike rate as he has a record of 0.5 tries per game after his 165 appearances in the top flight; but the new recruit has notched six tries in one game before and with the other recruits Gloucester have brought in it could allow him to be a potent force on the wing.
Maro Itoje hits out at Eddie Jones’ ‘inaccurate’ assessment and rubbishes acting classes claim
Gloucester to finish in the top six
Building from that point, Gloucester should be competiting for a playoff spot this season, but will be aiming for a top six finish at least. George Skivington’s side might have faltered in the league last year, but they will be in a much better place for it. They also opted to try out the young guns too, and this will be valuable experience for them if they are called upon again this season. Their run to the Challenge Cup final and Premiership Cup triumph should also give them plenty of confidence in their ability, and it should serve as a sign of what they can do when they turn up.
Outside of this, Gloucester have possibly done the best business this off-season, and recruited some real heavy hitters. The aforementioned Wade is not only a perfect replacement for Jonny May, but he will bring his own brand of flair and excitement to their backline. Elsewhere in the backs, Welsh internationals Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe are also exceptional signings, and will already be used to how one-another play. Furthermore, these three all add vital experience to what is a relatively young backline at Kingsholm, and they should also act as proper mentors to players like Josh Hathaway and Charlie Atkinson.
The Cherry and Whites have also been incredibly open about playing a new style of open, expanisve rugby, and this could be the key to an improved showing this time around.
Newcastle Falcons to not finish bottom
It’s bold, it’s brash, it’s somewhat reckless; but I’m going in with my full chest on this point; Newcastle Falcons might not finish bottom this season.
I know, I know, I might be crazy given they come into the new campaign off the back of the worst season in Premiership history; but by default the only way is up for the Falcons. They come into this season as a club reborn. Steve Diamond has detonated the squad from last year, and in their places has brought in a vastly improved, but smaller, squad. Cameron Neild, Connor Doherty, Luan de Bruin and Tom Gordon all come with some decent experience behind them in various leagues, however they arrive at Kingston Park with a point to prove.
A big argument for the Falcons is they are potentially undercooked going into the season, only playing one game against Sale; however they showed bags of progress and potential in that game, and importantly looked more competitive too. They seem to be trying a much-more attacking game, but it’s also nicely simplified to get this group on the same page as quick as possible.
Diamond himself is also a huge factor in my thinking here. He has been very open and honest about the state of the club when he found it, but he seems to have completley flipped the narrative surrounding them. Also, he is adament his side will be highly competitive; and you’d be a brave man to bet against that if he’s the one saying it.
Do I know who’s going to finish bottom? Absolutley no clue; but it’s by no means a certainty Newcastle are staring another 10th-placed finish in the face.
