Saints handed revised schedule for second half of Premiership season

Saints will see their match against Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road moved back, from the weekend of January 6, to Saturday, January 28.

Saints were due to finish the regular season at home to Saracens on the weekend of May 5, but they will now have a bye week.

That means that their regular-season campaign will conclude much earlier, at Newcastle Falcons on the weekend of April 22.

If Saints finish in the top four, they would have a full three weeks between their final regular-season fixture and their knockout clash.

The Premiership season has been reduced from 26 rounds to 24, and all sides will be given a rest weekend in early February to coincide with the start of the Six Nations.

The season will end on the same date, Saturday, May 27, with the Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham.

The semi-finals of the Premiership Rugby Cup will be held over the weekend of February 10, with the final of that competition moved to the weekend of March 17.

Simon Massie-Taylor, Premiership Rugby’s chief executive, said: “Restructuring the fixture list has allowed us to create a better narrative in the second half of the season, ensuring five Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches are played on each weekend.

“The new list also reduces the number of bye weeks for teams and the stop/start challenge for some clubs created by the unfortunate issues at Wasps and Worcester Warriors.

“It is a compelling fixture list with big matches every weekend.

"The Premiership Rugby Cup will also be moved into the weekends, reducing the number of midweek games and the pressure this creates for players, coaches, and staff.

“I am aware that this has created some real challenges for some of our clubs but I’d like to thank them for agreeing to these changes.

“We would also like to thank our broadcast partners, BT Sport and ITV, who have allowed us to give some certainty to our fans with all Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches now confirmed until the middle of February.”

How the fixtures looked before...

Weekend of January 6: Leicester (a)

Weekend of January 27: Newcastle Falcons (a)

Weekend of February 3: Bath (h)

Weekend of February 10: Gloucester (h)

Weekend of February 17: Worcester Warriors (a)

Weekend of March 3: Bristol Bears (a)

Weekend of March 10: Wasps h)

Weekend of March 24: London Irish (a)

Weekend of April 14: Sale Sharks (h)

Weekend of April 21: Exeter Chiefs (h)

Weekend of May 5: Saracens (h)

How the fixtures look now...

Saturday, January 7, 2023 (4.30pm): Exeter Chiefs (a)

Saturday, January 28, 2023 (2pm): Leicester Tigers (a)

February 17/18/19, 2023 (TBC): Sale Sharks (h)

February 24/25/26, 2023 (TBC): Gloucester (h)

March 3/4/5, 2023 (TBC): Bristol Bears (a)

March 10/11/12, 2023 (TBC): Bath (h)

March 24/25/26, 2023 (TBC): London Irish (a)

April 14/15/16, 2023 (TBC): Saracens (h)

April 21/22/23, 2023 (TBC): Newcastle Falcons (a)