Beginning in just over a weeks time, the October 13 Premiership Rugby championship will open the 2023/24 season for all 10 teams who have been preparing steadily now, all to be ready for match one, Friday October 13.
The focus has been on preseason match-ups and Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures for the majority. These have shown some upset results, with sides from the Championship league showing up other fancied teams. In particular, the symbolic win by the Jersey Reds over Bath Rugby, although it is with now an empty result, as the Jersey-based club has officially stopped trading/operating, and are likely to be omitted from the rest of the season*.
On the brighter side, all 10 of the top-flight rugby clubs appear to be in a sustainable position, and the full calendar can be found here. Especially important now, as four clubs have been all but removed from the record books in recent months/years. As a result, many of the calendars more highly-regarded occasions are filled with traditional derby games, inter-regional clashes and the odd away match that will see traveling sides on the road for multiple weekends.
All the while, for the last month the Rugby World Cup has held many International fan’s attention, yet very soon the menu will be doubled or even tripled, so the platter is easily accessed by all types of rugby fans. General club enthusiasts, to the thoroughly engaged men, women, and children who will ‘live, eat, and sleep’ the 2023 Gallagher Premiership from the opening round thereafter, the October 13 Premiership Rugby start.
October 13 Premiership Rugby start a week away, 10 clubs ready to go
10 clubs now play for the English premier rugby union championship. Still the pinnacle tier for all clubs and regions within the RFU (Rugby Football Union), and Yes a little diminished, it still packs the punch of sides like Saracens and Leicester Tigers that have held senior places across the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup levels over recent memory.
🗓️ Our trip to Saracens in the Gallagher Prem has been selected for broadcast by @rugbyontnt, and as a result has been moved forwards an hour to kick-off at 4.30pm.
— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) October 2, 2023
Premiership Rugby are also promoting many of the fixtures to retain its place within the sports market. Broadcast matches will be played alternate times so as to not conflict with RWC (Rugby World Cup) games, and often the early afternoon games can be attended prior to many knockout RWC games are played – the October 13 Premiership Rugby Championship start is after the final pool games are completed. So no direct conflict, other than with existing domestic competitions.
Top14 French club rugby had already begun its long season before this World Cup started, and the United Rugby Championship will kick-off a week later once the Preiership roars into life. So around the sphere that is the Premiership, will orbit around the RWC until the Cup final date on October 28 – not knowing if England or other ‘home nations’ may triumph in the end. English clubs all have representation, reducing some team’s impetus to begin the year with, but not stopping them from making the October 13 Premiership Rugby start noted in all calendars.
Countdown is ON.
Name the player you’re most hyped to see back in action 👇
#GallagherPrem Round 1 starts Friday 13 October 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/A1aczkVGtC— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) October 6, 2023
All 10 clubs have full rosters and then some currently. Academy and Junior Club men have all had their opportunities to train and run-on for Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures, in friendly games, or opposed runs, so all the squads are over-running with anticipation. Eagerness to perform, to demonstrate what the club has planned and will put in action is obvious. Objectives, like any professional men’s or women’s club/franchise will formulate, are ready to be implemented. All aiming to appear in the June 8, Grand Final weekend scheduled to be played at Twickenham.
Overall, good planning will take any team far in this league. From the poorest performing out of the season prior, this does not count any team out. They will all have a chance, a good chance to show ‘why they may not be a contender’.
10 is a finite number, though it is smaller than many will recall. 12 was a regular, competitive number and if the higher number was ideal, stakeholders would hope that number might be recreated yet from the October 13 Premiership Rugby start, the limitations on the schedule will only present five games per week. Five matches over 18 rounds.
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*Jersey Reds news: the latest news on the Jersey Island club was reported from the BBC Sport.com site. “Given the decision and in the absence of a ‘white knight’ we now have no option no but to move our trading vehicle into liquidation. Details of the liquidator will be gazetted in the near future.”
It means any hope of the club being able to start the season are gone, after there had been hopes that they could feature in the Championship if they were to get fresh funding before matches started later this month. While that is doubtful, the other clubs in the Championship must continue to perform. If not for their own supporter base, than for the sake of the game at its grassroots level.
“Main photo credit courtesy of Premiership Rugby website“
