PREM Cup: Round 10 Recap - Pools decided and Semi-Finals confirmed

After climbing to the summits of their respective pools, Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers had already secured their semi-final spots with a game left to play. Coincidentally, the Devon and Midlands sides both had bye weeks for the 10th round of the pool stages, with one space up for grabs in Pools A and B. The final four sees Exeter Chiefs host Northampton Saints for an early afternoon clash at Sandy Park, before Leicester take on Bath, with both fixtures booked in for this Sunday, March 8th.

Bristol ended their PREM Rugby Cup campaign with a thrilling but heartbreaking 36-41 defeat to Sale Sharks at Ashton Gate. Despite scoring six tries, the Bears were undone by a last-gasp O’Flaherty try that snatched victory for the visitors in a pulsating finale.

Bristol’s attack hit top gear early, with Ben Elizalde, Gabriel Oghre, and Gabriel Ibitoye all crossing for braces, while James Williams and Sam Worsley looked dangerous with the boot. Sale responded through Arron Reed, Nathan Jibulu (2), Sam Dugdale, and Ben Bamber to keep the contest neck-and-neck throughout.

The hosts clawed back a 22-12 halftime deficit as Oghre dotted down from a lineout drive and the visitors were temporarily reduced to 14 men. Bristol then surged in the final half-hour, with Elizalde and Ibitoye scoring quickfire tries to level the game. A late Oghre try briefly put the Bears ahead, but Tom O’Flaherty’s dramatic score sealed a remarkable comeback for Sale.

Bristol finish their cup run with plenty of positives, showing their attacking flair and depth as they prepare for the Premiership Run-In, while Sale claim a narrow, hard-fought bonus-point victory.

Bristol 36
Tries: Gabriel Oghre 2, Ben Elizalde 2, Gabriel Ibitoye 2
Conversions: James Williams 1, Sam Worsley 1

Sale Sharks 41
Tries: Nathan Jibulu 2, Arron Reed, Sam Dugdale, Ben Bamber, Tom O’Flaherty
Conversions: Rob du Preez 3

Harlequins finished their PREM Rugby Cup campaign with a commanding 35-14 victory over Newcastle Red Bulls at Twickenham Stoop. Returning internationals such as Chandler Cunningham-South, Jack Murley, and debutant Jack Grant helped Quins dominate after an early scare, turning a tightly contested first half into a one-sided second.

Newcastle opened the scoring through scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz and Reuben Parsons, with Brett Connon converting, before Quins struck back via a quick tap penalty try from Cunningham-South. Kieran Treadwell and Cadan Murley crossed in the second half, while Cunningham-South and impact replacement Jamie Benson added further scores. Connor Slevin converted all five of Quins’ tries, including his own, to complete a perfect day from the tee.

Despite Ollie Spencer scoring for Newcastle and Connon converting, Harlequins’ tactical kicking, line-out execution, and flowing backline rugby ensured they maintained control throughout. The win capped a successful cup campaign for Quins, highlighting the depth of their squad ahead of the Premiership Run-In.

Harlequins 35
Tries: Chandler Cunningham-South, Kieran Treadwell, Cadan Murley, Cunningham-South, Jamie Benson
Conversions: Connor Slevin 5/5

Newcastle Red Bulls 14
Tries: Reuben Parsons, Oli Spencer
Conversions: Brett Connon 2/2

Northampton Saints secured a dramatic 35-33 win over Saracens at Franklin’s Gardens to close out the pool stages of the PREM Rugby Cup. The match was a rollercoaster, with both sides exchanging blows before Saints produced a sensational late comeback to claim victory.

Saracens struck first through Olly Hartley and Nick Tompkins, but Saints responded with tries from James Ramm and George Furbank to level the scores at 14-all by halftime. The second half saw Saracens surge ahead with scores from Theo Dan, Rotimi Segun, and a late intercept by Brandon Jackson to lead 33-21. Northampton then unleashed their replacements, with Chunya Munga, Rory Hutchinson, and George Hendy producing pivotal tries. Fly-half James Pater calmly converted the final two scores, including a touchline conversion in the dying moments, to seal the win and secure Saints third place going into the semi-finals.

The victory highlighted Northampton’s resilience and bench depth, as the team overcame a 12-point deficit in the final quarter to snatch a memorable win in a high-pressure encounter.

Northampton Saints 35
Tries: James Ramm, George Furbank, Chunya Munga, Rory Hutchinson, George Hendy
Conversions: James Pater 5/5

Saracens 33
Tries: Olly Hartley, Nick Tompkins, Theo Dan, Rotimi Segun, Brandon Jackson
Conversions: Alex Lozowski 2/5

Bath Rugby secured qualification to the PREM Rugby Cup semi-finals with a bonus-point 38-26 win over Gloucester Rugby in a thrilling West Country derby at The Rec. The home side scored six tries to close out the group stage in style, maintaining pressure from start to finish to ensure a spot in the knock-out stages.

Bath opened the scoring through Tom Carr-Smith in the 15th minute, with Tom de Glanville adding the conversion. Kepu Tuipulotu and Will Muir extended the lead before Gloucester hit back through Ben Redshaw to make it 19-7. Carr-Smith grabbed his second try early in the second half to secure the bonus point, while Gloucester responded with tries from Ollie Thorley and Max Knight. Bath, undeterred by a yellow card to Francois van Wyk, added scores through Ethan Staddon and Max Ojomoh to seal a convincing victory.

The win sets up a mouth-watering quarter-final tie for Bath, who will face Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road next Sunday.

Bath Rugby 38
Tries: Tom Carr-Smith 2, Kepu Tuipulotu, Will Muir, Ethan Staddon, Max Ojomoh
Conversions: Tom de Glanville 4/4

Gloucester Rugby 26
Tries: Ben Redshaw, Ollie Thorley, Max Knight, Deian Gwynne
Conversions: Charlie Atkinson 2/3, George Barton 1/1