3 Must-Watch PREM Rugby Matches To Open 2026
3 Must-Watch PREM Rugby Matches To Open 2026
PREM Rugby opens 2026 with key clashes, including Bristol vs Sale, Bath vs Exeter and Leicester vs. Saracens in pivotal table matchups.
The first weekend of 2026 PREM play brings high stakes for the standings.
This week’s matchups feature numerous table neighbors, including No. 9 Gloucester vs. No. 10 Newcastle, No. 3 Bath vs. No. 2 Exeter and No. 5 Leicester vs. No. 6 Saracens.
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From top to bottom, the table is primed for an upset.
Newcastle vs. Gloucester kicks off the weekend Jan. 2 at 2:45 p.m. ET, and Leicester vs. Saracens brings up the tail end Jan. 4 at 10 a.m. ET.
Here are three matches to watch this PREM weekend:
Bristol Bears vs. Sale Sharks – Jan. 2 at 2:45 p.m. ET
Bristol hosts Sale at Ashton Gate after both teams found victories last weekend, with Sale earning a 43-17 win over Harlequins and Bristol claiming a 36-27 victory over Newcastle.
The Sharks have won four of their last five games against the Bears. However, Bristol has won all five of its most recent matches, while Sale has only won two.
Bath Rugby vs. Exeter Chiefs – Jan. 3 at 10:05 a.m. ET
Bath hosts Exeter at Recreation Ground, looking to capitalize on home-pitch advantage.
Bath suffered a tough 41-21 loss to No. 1 Northampton last week and will be searching for a bounce-back win.
Exeter, on the other hand, has gone unbeaten in its last five matches, winning four and drawing with Racing 92 during the Champions Cup.
Bath has won four of its last five meetings with Exeter, but the Chiefs’ momentum doesn’t appear to be slowing.
Leicester Tigers vs. Saracens F.C. – Jan. 4 at 10 a.m. ET
Leicester and Saracens may be the closest matchup of the weekend.
Their five most recent meetings are nearly split down the middle, with Leicester holding three wins and an average of 23 points scored, and Saracens owning two wins with a 24-point average. Both teams carry 2-3 win-loss records across their last five matches.
The pair have alternated wins since February 2023, and Saracens claimed a 29-22 victory in their most recent meeting. This weekend, fans will see if the pattern continues.
Gallagher PREM Fixtures: Round 9 Weekend Schedule
Friday, Jan. 2
- 2:45 PM ET – Bristol Bears vs Sale Sharks
- 2:45 PM ET – Newcastle vs Gloucester Rugby
Saturday, Jan. 3
- 10:05 AM ET – Bath Rugby vs Exeter Chiefs
- 12:30 PM ET – Northampton Saints vs Harlequin F.C.
Sunday, Jan. 4
- 10 AM ET – Leicester Tigers vs Saracens F.C.
PREM Rugby Table
Team (Points): W-L-D
- Northampton Saints (33): 6-1-1
- Exeter Chiefs (32): 6-1-1
- Bath Rugby (31): 6-2-0
- Bristol Bears (29): 6-2-0
- Leicester Tigers (26): 5-3-0
- Saracens (26): 4-4-0
- Sale Sharks (18): 3-5-0
- Harlequins (10): 2-6-0
- Gloucester Rugby (8): 1-7-0
- Newcastle Red Bulls (1): 0-8-0
European Union Rugby Lives On FloSports And FloRugby
Rugby fans can stream every match from the Top 14, Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship on FloRugby, along with the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, making the platform the U.S. home for the world’s biggest club competitions and the game’s top players.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
Professional club rugby in Europe all streams on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
- United Rugby Championship
- PREM Rugby
- Top 14
- Investec Champions Cup
- EPCR Challenge Cup
- Currie Cup
- Super Rugby
- And more
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.