This was an unusual round – three Sunday games, and only one on Saturday. But it marked a turning-point in the 2023-24 season.
Gloucester-Hartpury claimed an unbeatable first place after demolishing Trailfinders. The other Sunday games also showed big wins; the one shock being a heavy defeat at home for Chiefs, Sarries’ first ever win in Devon.
In the Saturday match there was another unwelcome setback for Quins against their mid-table neighbours Lightning. They had similar records, sharing 28 points. A 21-point drubbing wasn’t the outcome expected or desired.
Results
Saturday 18 May
Lightning 38 Quins 19
Sunday 19 May
Bristol Bears 62 Leicester Tigers 24
Gloucester-Hartpury 59 Trailfinders 12
Exeter Chiefs 7 Saracens 57
Sale Sharks had the bye
As we approach the season’s end, a glance at the table below shows the strengths and weaknesses of the league. G-H lie way ahead, enjoying the sort of dominance that once was Saracens’. The gap between the top four and the rest amounts to 18 points. To me that is worryingly wide. In fifth place Lightning have a cluster of Red Roses, but show a deficit of 6-8.
The picture at the wrong end of the table is perplexing. There we find the two newcomers, who at least have gained six wins between them. But Sharks have accumulated just three points. That is reminiscent of Worcester’s woes in the early days of the Premier 15s.
So much for ‘increased competition’, the claim repeated at the start of every season. There’s even a 23-point gap between first and fourth.
The crowds had plenty to enjoy, a total of 278 points scored. But the margins of victory, 19, 38, 47 and 50 tell a different story.
Another approach: the bottom five clubs have the following contracted Red Roses:
Kabeya, O’Donnell, Rowland, Scarratt, Kildunne, Powell, L Packer, Dow, Cokayne, M. Jones and Talling (11)
The question arises, can the board find a way of narrowing these wide gaps in a way that is fair to everyone? If it can, then it will achieve something that has eluded the people in charge ever since 2017.
Table W D L Pts
Glos-Pury 15 0 0 74
Saracens 12 0 2 60
Exeter 9 1 5 52
Bears 10 0 4 51
Lightning 6 0 8 33
Harlequins 4 1 8 28
Trailfinders 4 0 10 23
Tigers 2 0 12 9
Sale 1 0 13 3
Afterthought
Next weekend sees some exciting clashes:
Saracens v G-H
Trailfinders v Lightning
Quins v Bears
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
Exeter Chiefs sit this one out.
Can Sarries lower G-H’s colours at last? There’s every chance. And can Sharks get the better of Tigers to achieve a second victory? That’s not so certain. What we must all hope for is four much tighter games than in Round 16.
