5 Biggest Moments from the first half of the 2025/26 PREM Rugby season

Meanwhile, Harlequins and Gloucester are languishing near the bottom, having struggled greatly on the pitch this year, and will look to go toe-to-toe for that final Champions Cup spot. So, to get us excited for the rest of the PREM season, here are the five biggest moments so far of this campaign…

After a brutal prior season for both of these clubs, both wanted to get off to a good start. Northampton, having come off a strong European Cup season, were the obvious favourites. They had a dominant first half, answering Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s opening score with 33 points of their own, as Eduardo Todaro scored a brace out of the Saints’ five tries.

However, the Chiefs weren’t out of the game. Paul Brown-Bampoe scored early into the second half, inspiring another three tries which would draw the two sides level with 11 minutes to go. Even Josh Hodge’s red card couldn’t help the Saints prevent an embarrassing comeback result, as Exeter flexed their muscles with something to prove this season.

Possibly the only real positive to come out of Harlequins’ season so far: Rivals Round saw them take on mortal enemies Saracens at The Stoop for capital city bragging rights. The return of both Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell only increased excitement going into this fierce fixture, and it delivered.

Smith’s solo try saw him power over the line for an early score, answered by Fergus Burke’s finish from a fast Sarries team try. Tyrone Green grabbed one back after half-time, before Ben Earl’s score, and infamous thumbs up celebration, kept Sarries in with a chance. Smith would kick a late penalty to extend his side’s lead to six points at the end of the match, which capped off a fiery derby victory, which saw raw rugby animosity plate up a fixture for the ages.

Welford Road played host to the first meeting of last year’s finalists, as champions Bath were on an unbeaten streak in their first three games of the season. Dan Frost and Olly Cracknell exchanged tries in the first ten minutes, before Sam Underhill and Cameron Redpath built up a lead for Bath. Tommy Reffell’s try before half time kept the hosts within five points at the break.

Nicky Smith’s early try, paired with James O’Connor’s conversion, saw the Tigers hold a two-point lead for the majority of the second half. Finn Russell kicked a penalty goal with nine minutes remaining, with Bath back into just a one point lead. Billy Searle, replacing James O’Connor, had his chance to snatch the victory for Tigers, and settle the score with the champions. He scored the three in the last minute for a passionate victory for the Tigers.

The Londoners’ ‘Big Game’ saw them host high-flying Bristol Bears, hoping that the huge Twickenham crowd of 82,000 would give them the extra push they would need to get their season back on track.

It seemed as if the game was already over at half-time, with Bristol running in four tries to lead 26-0 at the break. Kalaveti Ravouvou, Joe Batley, Gabriel Oghre, and Louis Rees-Zammit all got their moment in the Twickenham spotlight, as half of Bristol’s demolition job took place.

Santiago Grondona kicked off the second half with business as usual for the Bears, before Harlequins finally got a score on the board with Tyrone Green’s try. It was Ellis Genge’s try, however, which summed up the night for Quins, who ran 40 metres, bumping off Quins defenders, to score the try that all props dream of.

Marcus Smith’s late try was merely a consolation for a disappointing showpiece performance that had only started a poor run of results. A lacklustre boxing day trip to Sale, paired with a 66-point bullying away to Northampton Saints proving a disappointing campaign for Harlequins.

Having been taken over by the colossal Austrian energy drink company in the summer, it had been a poor season for the Tynesiders so far. Despite two wins in the Challenge Cup, Newcastle had failed to win a PREM game in their first eight rounds, and ultimately for the entirety of 2025.

They hosted poorly-performing Gloucester at Kingston Park, and got off to a quick start. George McGuigan scored off the maul to kick the new year off to a good start. Their new Kiwi import, Tom Christie, grabbed one of his own, before Brett Connon nailed a penalty goal before half-time to lead 15-5 at the break.

Simon Benitez-Cruz ran over the line early to extend the hosts’ lead and hope started to fill the stands of Kingston Park. However, tries from Mike Austin and Ciaran Knight got Gloucester to within seven points of ruining Newcastle’s chance of a first league win in over a year. A huge defensive push from Red Bulls kept the Cherry and Whites from finding a winner, and they celebrated their first victory of the campaign in fine style.