Northampton lead Premiership defence but history suggests it will be difficult

Northampton Saints lead the early charge to defend their Premiership title, Robert Kitson reported on 24 September 2026. The champions have retained Henry Pollock and are chasing a third title in four years.

Winning once used to imply the start of a prolonged run of success, but recent seasons show title defences are rare; the last team to win back-to-back was Saracens in 2019, shortly before the salary cap small print intervened. Russ Petty’s analysis, cited by Kitson, notes that three of the past six champions achieved their success after finishing sixth or lower the previous season; Northampton themselves finished eighth in 2024-25. Phil Dowson says the club is keen to draw a distinct line under last season and warned about complacency: "We have to be mindful of complacency and saying, ‘We won the league last year doing this, all we need to do is do this again.’ When actually the key is, ‘What do we have to develop?’"

Dowson and his coaching partner Sam Vesty have been working closely with the club’s performance psychologist, Oli Dixon, and observing recent training has given the impression the squad is well prepared, early-season injuries permitting. Henry Pollock has re-signed and is described as "visibly hungry for more." Northampton are positioned to defend their crown provided other clubs do not find another gear.

Bath face a different set of adjustments after the departures of Thomas du Toit and Alfie Barbeary, and the club will not be able to host a semi-final at the Rec if they make the playoffs because the ground is soon to be redeveloped. Kitson writes that Bath should remain competitive but carries caveats around personnel and logistics.

Saracens have added Barbeary and George Martin to a squad that still contains Tomos Williams, while Brendan Venter has returned as head coach in place of Mark McCall. Kitson notes Tom Willis has departed and suggests that, with those arrivals and a cohort of promising backs, Saracens could be stronger than some expect.

Exeter, who reached last season’s final, are highlighted for their back-row and attacking options, with Greg Fisilau, Ethan Roots, Kane James, Tom Hooper, the yet-to-arrive Kiwi centre Dallas McLeod and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso named as players to watch. Kitson writes that, if kept fit, Rob Baxter’s squad will be top-four material again. Leicester are described as difficult to assess because Ollie Chessum, Joe Heyes and other international players "will have so much on their plates between now and the 2027 Rugby World Cup," and Kitson adds that a fifth-place finish, one place lower than last year, would underline the league’s depth.

Kitson outlines further permutations across the table: Sale Sharks, labelled underachievers last year, have recruited Courtney Lawes, Joe Marchant and Alex Lozowski and aim to improve on a seventh-place finish; Gloucester’s pre-season form and the arrivals of Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan are cited as reasons they could finish ahead of Bristol Bears for the first time since 2022. Bristol’s 94-33 loss to Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens last year remains a notable blemish, and keeping AJ MacGinty and lock Pedro Rubiolo fit will be pivotal — Rubiolo started in seven of the eight league games Bristol won last season. Newcastle Red Bulls and Harlequins have reshuffled coaching staffs, with Newcastle opening at Franklin’s Gardens and a slightly depleted Quins entertaining Bath on the opening night; Kitson warns both sides have a lot to prove and that a sluggish start could be costly in a 10-team Premiership without relegation.

Kitson concludes that the season’s early form could also affect international selection, writing that it is entirely possible that, by Christmas, Steve Borthwick’s 2027 Rugby World Cup squad will have altered significantly. While Northampton and Pollock sit in a favourable position to defend the title, Kitson emphasises that the modern Premiership is rarely straightforward.