The English Rugby Premiership title race tightened after Round 8 matches played last weekend between December 26 and 28, 2025, with Northampton Saints clinging to top spot and Exeter Chiefs closing to within a single point following another commanding home victory.
Northampton Saints remain top of the table after Round 8 following a commanding 41–21 away victory over Bath on December 27, 2025, a result that extended their winning run and kept them one point clear at the summit on 33 points.
Exeter Chiefs are close behind in second place on 32 points after ending the year strongly with a 24–10 win over Leicester Tigers.
Bath’s defeat saw them sit third on 31 points while Bristol Bears occupy fourth with 29 points, having edged past Newcastle Falcons 36–27 over the weekend.
Leicester Tigers are fifth on 26 points after their loss at Sandy Park, level on points with Saracens, who occupy sixth following a solid 30–21 away victory over Gloucester.
Sale Sharks occupy the seventh position on 18 points boosted by a commanding 43–17 victory over Harlequins.
EDITOR’S PICKS:
At the lower end of the table, Harlequins stay eighth on 10 points, while Gloucester sit ninth with eight.
Newcastle Falcons remain rooted to the bottom on one point, still searching for their first win of the campaign having lost all their matches.
Attention now turns to Round 9, which could further shake up the standings. Newcastle Falcons host Gloucester Rugby on Friday, January 2, 2026, while Bristol Bears welcome Sale Sharks on the same night.
Saturday, January 3, 2026, features a key clash as Bath Rugby take on Exeter Chiefs, with league leaders Northampton Saints facing Harlequins later in the evening.
The round concludes on Sunday, January 4, 2026, when Leicester Tigers go head-to-head with Saracens.
25/26 English Rugby Premiership Standings After Round 8
-
Northampton Saints – 33 points
-
Exeter Chiefs – 32 points
-
Bath Rugby – 31 points
-
Bristol Bears – 29 points
-
Leicester Tigers – 26 points
-
Saracens – 26 points
-
Sale Sharks – 18 points
-
Harlequins – 10 points
-
Gloucester Rugby – 8 points
-
Newcastle Falcons – 1 point
