Finn Russell is determined to help Bath Rugby bounce back after their narrow play-off disappointment in last season’s Premiership campaign. Bath, who finished second in the table in 2025, were edged out 27-26 by Exeter Chiefs in the semi-final, a game Russell missed due to injury. Meanwhile, Northampton Saints went on to claim the title by defeating Chiefs in the final, with Henry Pollock playing a key role.
As Bath prepare to open their 30th Premiership season tonight against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop, Russell emphasized his intent to lead the team’s attack and improve on last year’s performance. “My job is to run the attack and we didn’t click as well as we’d like to last year. I’m hoping we can kick on to where we were in my first couple of seasons here and getting to the finals again,” he said. Reflecting on the previous season, Russell acknowledged the team’s achievements in reaching two semi-finals but admitted they fell short of their goals.
Bath’s squad receives a notable boost with the return of prop Will Stuart, who sat out the latter half of last season with an Achilles injury, leaving a significant gap to fill. Additionally, England centre Ollie Lawrence, excluded from the national setup currently, arrives with motivation to prove himself under coach Steve Borthwick.
Northampton Saints, champions last season, enter this campaign as strong favourites to defend their crown. The club aims to become the first team since Saracens in 2019 to retain the Premiership title, seeking to join the ranks of historic repeat winners such as Martin Johnson’s Leicester Tigers and Lawrence Dallaglio’s Wasps. The club recently resolved contract uncertainties surrounding Henry Pollock, who remains committed alongside wing Tommy Freeman and fly-half Fin Smith.
Coach Phil Dowson encouraged his team to embrace the challenge of back-to-back titles despite the difficulties imposed by salary cap regulations. “Going back-to-back hasn’t been done since Sarries, and there’s going to be an asterisk on that with the salary cap. No one’s gone back-to-back for a long time, but the era-defining teams of Leicester, of Wasps, of Saracens – why don’t we want to be one of those? That’s something that fires us,” Dowson said. He also acknowledged that opponents now approach Northampton with the intent to dethrone the champions.
Outside of the top two contenders, Saracens and Sale Sharks have reinforced their squads ahead of the new season. Saracens have added lock George Martin, scrum-half Tomos Williams, and No. 8 Alfie Barbeary, while Brendan Venter returns to the club’s coaching staff after 15 years as a consultant. Saracens hope to maintain their competitiveness during Jamie George’s final season. Sale Sharks welcome Courtney Lawes back to the Premiership, with the England forward targeting a place in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
Tonight’s Premiership fixtures tip-off at 7:45 p.m. BST, with Bath visiting Harlequins and Northampton hosting Newcastle Falcons. Both matches will be available live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.