Gallagher Prem Playoff Permutations: What does each team need?

Hayden Cottle Updated: 01 Jun 26 15:21

With just one match left of the regular season, the race for the 2025/26 Gallagher Prem playoffs is heating up.

After their narrow win over Gloucester, Northampton continue to top Gallagher Prem table at this stage, with Bath, Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs currently making up the remainder of the top four.

With the top two sides in the table earning themselves a home semi final, the race to finish first or second is as vital as that to reach the playoffs in the first place.

There are currently five sides still in the running for a place in the top four, with Newcastle Red Bulls, Harlequins, Gloucester, Sale Sharks and Bristol Bears all now mathematically out of the running, while Northampton Saints are now guaranteed to finish top of the pile.

With that in mind, let's take a look at what each team needs to reach the playoffs this season and what those at the very top need to do to earn a home semi final.

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Bath Rugby

Currently holding second place in the table by the skin of their teeth, defending champions Bath fell to yet another defeat last weekend, narrowly losing to Bristol.

Seemingly unbeatable and imperious at times this season and last, Johan van Graan's super team have lost four of their last five games in all competitions, including three matches in a row, before dismantling the Red Bulls three weeks ago.

Defeat in the European Rugby Champions Cup semi finals at Bordeaux was book-ended by Prem defeats away at Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs, highlighting a potential achilles heel in this Blue, Black and White machine.

As things stand, Bath have secured a place in the Gallagher Prem top four already, with a seven point lead over fifth placed Saracens.

In a similar vein to Northampton, finishing outside of the top two at this stage would be a disaster for Bath, with Leicester Tigers continuing to keep pace and just one point behind.

With Bath hosting the Tigers in the final game of the season, all they need to do is avoid defeat to earn a top two finish.

Leicester Tigers

Despite their tumultuous summer of overhaul, Leicester Tigers are making a last dash push for a home semi final.

When Geoff Parling was appointed Leicester Tigers boss last summer, the decision to give him the job was seen as a panic one, with the Tigers reportedly moving to a number of different options, before moving to their former second row.

This - along with some clever, Moneyball-esque signings like Billy Searle - have seen the Tigers have a strong season to this point, winning the Prem Rugby Cup and sitting third in the standings.

Their sensational victory over the Saints and a first away win against Sale Sharks in six years all-but secured them a place in the play-offs with two matches to spare.

While scraping into the top four would have been a dream at the start of the campaign, the Tigers will be looking up rather than down for the remainder of the season, sitting just two points outside of the top two.

Furthermore, their fate is in their own hands - despite being two points behind - due to their final fixture of the season being away at second place Bath Rugby.

Simply, if they win their final match, they will finish second in the standings.

Exeter Chiefs

The final side currently occupying a playoff place, Exeter Chiefs have it all to do to complete their miraculous turnaround and finish in the top four of the table, just 12 months after a dismal ninth place finish.

Rob Baxter's side, fresh off the news of a prospective takeover by AFC Bournemouth's American owners, have Saracens hot on their tails, as they look to hold fourth place in the table first and foremost.

The Chiefs will face Saracens on the final day, knowing that if they avoid defeat, they will finish fourth in the table at the lowest.

Alongside this, their shock away win against Leicester Tigers moved them to four points behind Bath, who currently occupy that second position in the table.

The Chiefs will need to be perfect - and rely on the ideal result from the Tigers v Bath game - to secure a spot in the top two of the table, whilst a win will be enough to guarantee a spot in the top four.

While a top two finish may end up just out of their reach this season, securing a place in the Gallagher Prem playoffs this season would represent a significant achievement for Baxter's side.

Saracens

Despite looking like heavy outsiders, Saracens have given themselves a good shot of reaching the top four.

Now sitting just three points outside of the top four, Saracens will be unable to reach the playoffs if fourth place Exeter Chiefs - and those above them - reach the 63 point mark, a total that all but the Chiefs can reach with one win.

As a result, fourth place is the absolute best that Mark McCall's side can reasonably reach after an extremely disappointing season.

In order to finish their miraculous rise up the table, the North Londoners would need to win their remaining game against Exeter Chiefs, and earn four more points than them in the process.