These are peculiar times of relative prosperity for the Premiership. Senior figures are privately delighted with a new and improved television deal signed with TNT Sports that came despite a rights market proving increasingly difficult to navigate; a reshaped second tier appears better suited to the top-flight’s desires; a franchising-type revamp of the Premiership could well be soon to follow, with an admission that the league needs to do so something differently to match on-field thrills with off-field sustainability. To that end, encouraging rumours abound of interest from Red Bull in investing in Newcastle, a cash injection that would give necessary new wings to the flagging Falcons.
Behind the scenes, then, there is plenty to be optimistic about but on the field, the English clubs are going well, too. For the first time since the Covid-ravaged competitions of 2020, and since 2004 before that, the Premiership could end finals weekend with the two European trophies in their possession, an outcome that would defy the conventional logic of the modern club game. Northampton’s battle with Bordeaux Begles on Saturday afternoon in the Investec Champions Cup final follows a Bath side bouncing along the M4 to Cardiff to take on Lyon in the Friday night Challenge Cup curtain-raiser – each club live and lively contenders for their respective crowns despite the financial might of the French.
