2021–22 Premiership Rugby
2021–22 Gallagher Premiership | |
---|---|
Countries | England |
Number of teams | 13 |
Date | 17 September 2021 – 18 June 2022 |
Matches played | 12 |
Attendance | 131,369 (average 10,947 per match) |
Highest attendance | 19,003 – Bristol Bears v Saracens, 17 September 2021 |
Lowest attendance | 5,163 – Worcester Warriors v London Irish, 17 September 2021 |
Tries scored | 77 (average 6.4 per match) |
Official website | |
www | |
The 2021–22 Premiership Rugby is the 35th season of the top flight of English domestic rugby union competition and the fourth to be sponsored by Gallagher.[1] It is also the first since 1992–93 to feature 13 teams. The competition will be broadcast by BT Sport for the ninth successive season.
The reigning champions entering the season are Harlequins who claimed their 2nd title after defeating Exeter Chiefs in the 2021 final. Saracens were promoted as champions from the 2020–21 RFU Championship at the first attempt.
Due to changes to the global rugby calendar implemented in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic causing a moratorium to be placed on relegation last season, the tournament features 13 teams and will include an extra four rounds.[2] The season will take place over 40 weeks.
Rule changes[edit]
This season sees the second year of a three-year moratorium on relegation from the league.[3]
Salary Cap[edit]
This season is the first under the reduced salary cap regulations before changes are made before 2024–25. A brief summary of the changes are:
- Senior ceiling is reduced from £6.4m to £5m.
- Homegrown player credits retained up to £600,000
- International and EPS credits retained but limited to £400,000.
- Season-long loan salary cap exemption is removed.
- Academy ceiling for international players retained at £100,000 but with maximum salary increasing from £30,000 to £50,000. Homegrown academy players are not counted in the £100,000 limit.
- For contracts continuing into 2021–22, the cap cost will be counted at 75% of their actual value to manage transition to the new caps.
- Two players continue to be excluded from the salary cap for this season.[4]
Teams[edit]
For the first time since the 2002–03 Premiership Rugby season, all teams from the previous season will compete in the league together with Saracens who were promoted from the 2020–21 RFU Championship after a top flight absence of one year, thus making a thirteen team league.[5]
Stadiums and locations[edit]
Table[edit]
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Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Tries for | Tries against | Try bonus | Losing bonus | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Leicester Tigers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 57 | +23 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 14 | ||||
2 | Northampton Saints | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 65 | +18 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 13 | ||||
3 | Harlequins | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 49 | +12 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 10 | ||||
4 | Newcastle Falcons | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 58 | 53 | +5 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 9 | ||||
5 | Worcester Warriors | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 88 | 90 | –2 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 7 | ||||
6 | Sale Sharks | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 66 | 75 | –9 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | ||||
7 | Wasps | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 58 | 26 | +32 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||
8 | Gloucester | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 77 | 90 | –13 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||
9 | Saracens | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 22 | +16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | ||||
10 | Exeter Chiefs | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 68 | 75 | –7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 5 | ||||
11 | London Irish | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 76 | 90 | –14 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 5 | ||||
12 | Bristol Bears | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 90 | –48 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||||
13 | Bath | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 52 | 65 | –13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||||
Green background (rows 1 to 4) are play-off places and earns a berth in the 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup. Blue background (rows 5 to 8) indicates teams outside the play-off places, that earns a berth in the 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup based on their position in the table. Yellow background (rows 9 to 12) indicates teams that earn a place in the 2022–23 European Rugby Challenge Cup. Plain background (row 13) will not be relegated but will not earn a place in the Challenge Cup.
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Games cancelled due to COVID-19 will be recorded as 0–0 but a win and 4 points will be awarded if a club was able to field a team and a loss and 2 points if they were not. Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled |
Fixtures[edit]
Fixtures for the season were announced by Premiership Rugby on 13 July 2021. The league season begins on 17 September 2021 and is due to end on 18 June 2022.[6] Each team receives two bye weeks. Highlights of the season include:
- Big Game 13 – Harlequins host Northampton Saints in this season's edition at Twickenham on 27 December 2021.
- The Showdown – Part 2 – Saracens will host Bristol Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 26 March 2022.
All fixtures are subject to change.
Round 1[edit]
17 September 2021
19:45 |
Bristol Bears | 9 – 26 | Saracens |
---|---|---|
Pen: Sheedy (3/3) 5', 15', 18' |
Report | Try: Lewington 70' m Pen: Lozowski (7/8) 11', 33', 40', 45', 47', 59', 65' |
18 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Leicester Tigers | 34 – 19 | Exeter Chiefs |
---|---|---|
Try: Steward 12' m Potter 23' m Scott 37' c Dolly (2) 60' c, 68' c Con: Ford (3/5) 38', 61', 69' Pen: Ford (1/1) 3' |
Report | Try: Armand 16' m Penalty try 55' Hidalgo-Clyne 80+1' c Con: H. Skinner (1/1) 80+1' |
18 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Northampton Saints | 34 – 20 | Gloucester |
---|---|---|
Try: Furbank 8' c Grayson 44' c Auterac 47' c Wood 74' m Con: Grayson (4/4) 9', 45', 48' Pen: Grayson (2/2) 6', 58' |
Report | Try: Thorley 26' m Reid 55' c May 68' m Con: Evans (1/3) 56' Pen: Evans (1/1) 42' |
18 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Worcester Warriors | 36 – 24 | London Irish (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Lewis 17' c Heinz 38' m Nanai 40+1' c Kvesic 52' c Humphreys 70' c Con: Williams (4/5) 17', 40+2', 52', 71' Pen: Williams (1/1) 64' |
Report | Try: Hassell-Collins 7' m Tuisue 46' m Hoskins (2) 65' c, 74' c Con: Jackson (2/4) 66', 75' |
18 September 2021
17:00 |
Sale Sharks | 20 – 19 | Bath (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Yarde 30' c McGuigan 35' c Con: R. du Preez (2/2) 31', 36' Pen: R. du Preez (1/3) 24' Wilkinson (1/1) 79' |
Report | Try: Schoeman 53' c Con: Bailey (1/1) 54' Pen: Cipriani (2/3) 39', 44' Bailey (2/3) 68', 75' |
19 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons | 20 – 26 | Harlequins (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Radwan 23' m Stephens 28' c Schreuder 54' m Con: Connon (1/3) 29' Pen: Haydon-Wood (1/1) 80+1' |
Report | Try: Lynagh (2) 12' m, 44' m Marchant 21' c Care 59' c Con: Allan (3/4) 22', 60' |
Bye/s: Wasps |
Round 2[edit]
24 September 2021
19:45 |
(2 BP) Gloucester | 26 – 33 | Leicester Tigers (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Balmain 17' c Ackermann 34' m Atkinson 57' c Clement 72' c Con: Evans (2/3) 18', 57' Hastings (1/1) 73' |
Report | Try: Wells 12' c Genge 27' m Potter 53' c Dolly 67' m Con: Ford (2/4) 14', 54' Pen: Ford (3/5) 4', 7', 63' |
25 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Bath | 13 – 20 | Newcastle Falcons |
---|---|---|
Try: Ojomoh 70' c Con: Bailey (1/1) 72' Pen: Bailey (2/3) 28', 80+1' |
Report | Try: Radwan 11' m Stephens 34' m McGuigan 40' c Con: Haydon-Wood (1/3) 40+1' Pen: Haydon-Wood (1/2) 16' |
25 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Exeter Chiefs | 24 – 26 | Northampton Saints |
---|---|---|
Try: Armand 5' c J. Maunder 7' c Tuima 39' c Con: J. Simmonds (3/3) 6', 8', 40' Pen: J. Simmonds (1/2) 58' |
Report | Try: Mitchell 13' c Proctor 21' c Con: Grayson (2/2) 14', 22' Pen: Grayson (2/2) 33', 65' Furbank (2/2) 71', 80' |
25 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Harlequins | 35 – 29 | Worcester Warriors (2 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Lynagh 17' c Dombrandt 30' c Murley 40+1' c Marchant 54' c Lamb 74' c Con: Allan (5/5) 17', 31', 40+2', 55', 75' |
Report | Try: Lawrence 43' c Heinz 59' c Chudley 64' c Thomas 80+1' m Con: Williams (3/3) 44', 60', 64' Pen: Williams (1/2) 3' |
25 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) Wasps | 44 – 8 | Bristol Bears |
---|---|---|
Try: Crossdale (2) 13' m, 36' m Shields 44' c Frost 60' c T. Willis 78' c Kibirige 80+1' c Con: Gopperth (4/4) 46', 60', 80', 80+2' Pen: Umaga (2/3) 20', 31' |
Report | Try: Lahiff 28' m Pen: Sheedy (1/1) 3' |
26 September 2021
15:00 |
(1 BP) London Irish | 31 – 31 | Sale Sharks (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: White 17' c Creevy 33' c Parton (2) 47' m, 67' m Rona 77' c Con: Jackson (3/5) 18', 34', 78' |
Report | Try: MacGinty 2' c Yarde 15' c S. James 21' c Cliff 37' c Con: MacGinty (4/4) 3', 15', 23', 38' Pen: MacGinty (1/1) 30' |
Bye/s: Saracens |
Round 3[edit]
1 October 2021
19:45 |
Bristol Bears | 25 – 20 | Bath (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Luatua 31' m Penalty try 57' Kerr 67' c Con: Sheedy (1/2) 68' Pen: Sheedy (2/2) 8', 47' |
Report | Try: Muir (2) 17' c, 52' m Rokoduguni 40+2' m Con: Bailey (1/3) 19' Pen: Bailey (1/1) 29' |
2 October 2021
14:00 |
Northampton Saints | 23 – 21 | London Irish |
---|---|---|
Try: Collins 9' c Proctor 16' c Con: Biggar (2/2) 10', 17' Pen: Biggar (3/3) 3', 59', 74' |
Report | Try: Creevy 38' c Penalty try 46' Parton 64' c Con: Jackson (2/2) 38', 65' |
2 October 2021
15:00 |
Leicester Tigers | 13 – 12 | Saracens (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Penalty try 80+4' Pen: Ford (2/2) 40+2', 75' |
Report | Pen: Farrell (4/5) 9', 11', 33', 49' |
2 October 2021
15:00 |
Newcastle Falcons | 18 – 14 | Wasps (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Fearns 4' m Chick 80' c Con: Connon (1/1) |
Report | Try: Cruse 50' c T. Willis 75' c Con: Umaga (2/2) 50', 75' |
2 October 2021
15:00 |
Worcester Warriors | 23 – 31 | Gloucester |
---|---|---|
Try: Hatherell 72' c Vailanu 80+2' c Con: Searle (2/2) 73', 80+3' Pen: Williams (2/3) 31', 42' Searle (1/1) 52' |
Report | Try: Morgan 59' c Woodward 66' c Harris 76' m Con: Hastings (2/3) 60', 67' Pen: Hastings (4/4) 9', 18', 32', 40+1' |
3 October 2021
15:00 |
Sale Sharks | 15 – 25 | Exeter Chiefs |
---|---|---|
Try: Harrison 4' c Ashman 71' m Con: R. du Preez (1/2) 6' Pen: R. du Preez (1/2) 11' |
Try: Slade (2) 40' c, 55' m Witty 57' c Con: Slade (2/3) 40+2', 57' Pen: Slade (3/3) 18', 21', 43' |
Bye/s: Harlequins |
Round 4[edit]
Bye/s: Bath |
Round 5[edit]
Bye/s: Northampton Saints |
Round 6[edit]
Bye/s: Bristol Bears |
Round 7[edit]
Bye/s: Newcastle Falcons |
Round 8[edit]
Bye/s: Gloucester |
Round 9[edit]
Bye/s: Leicester Tigers |
Round 10[edit]
Bye/s: Sale Sharks |
Leading scorers[edit]
Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.
Most points[edit]
Source:[7]
|
Most tries[edit]
Source:[8]
|
Season attendances[edit]
By club[edit]
- Attendances do not include the final at Twickenham.
Club | Home Games |
Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bath | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bristol Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Exeter Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gloucester | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Harlequins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Leicester Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
London Irish | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Newcastle Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Northampton Saints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sale Sharks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Saracens | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wasps | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Worcester Warriors | 6 | 53,158 | 8,860 | 11,499 | 7,740 | 77% |
Highest attendances[edit]
Date | Game | Stadium | Attendance |
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Notes[edit]
- ^ Director of Rugby Performance
- ^ Harlequins would also play one home game at Twickenham Stadium on 27 December 2021.
- ^ Saracens would also play one home game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 26 March 2022.
- ^ StoneX Stadium capacity currently reduced due to redevelopment.
References[edit]
- ^ "Gallagher confirmed as new title sponsors of Premiership Rugby". 12 April 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- ^ "Premiership season structure for 2020/21 and 2021/22 confirmed". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
- ^ "RFU Council Vote in Favour of Covid Recovery Plan and Temporary Pause on Relegation". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "Premiership Rugby clubs unanimously vote to temporarily reduce the salary cap". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
- ^ "RFU scraps Premiership relegation". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
- ^ "Gallagher Premiership Rugby season 2021-22 kicks off at Ashton Gate on 17 September". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
- ^ "2019-20 Premiership Rugby top points scorers". ESPNScrum. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "2019-20 Premiership Rugby top try scorers". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 1 March 2020.