Are these the most evenly matched Prem semi-finals ever?
6/8/202647 min
The Prem rugby semi-final line-up is confirmed: Northampton hosts rivals Leicester and Bath play Exeter.
Alfie Reynolds, Alex Lowe and Charlie Morgan preview the semi-finals and ask is this the hardest season to predict who will make the final?
Could an away side get a rare victory?
They also discuss the teams near the bottom of the league. Who had the most disappointing campaign? And who has reasons to be optimistic?
Plus, Andy Farrell has signed a contract extension to remain Ireland head coach until 2031. How big a blow is that to England and the RFU? And what does it say about the appeal of the England head coach job?
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAlfie Reynolds· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Hello, this is The Ruck, the journalists' rugby podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times. Welcome along. We've got Prem semi-finals to look ahead to. And to help me do just that, my name's Alfie Reynolds. I've got The Times rugby correspondent, Alex Lowe. Hi, Alex.
Alex Lowe· Panelist0:29
Hello.
Alfie Reynolds· Host0:30
And senior rugby writer, have I got the title right, Charlie Morgan.
Charlie Morgan· Panelist0:33
Yeah.
Alfie Reynolds· Host0:33
Good morning.
Charlie Morgan· Panelist0:34
Right, reading off the script, you've nailed it, mate. [laughs] Thank you.
Alfie Reynolds· Host0:36
I was off script for that bit. [laughs] Thank you very much. But I'll be on it for the rest of the pod, so we can guide us through. Look, final weekend of the Prem to look back on, gents. Charlie, you were at Sandy Park.
Alex Lowe· Panelist0:45
Of course.
Alfie Reynolds· Host0:45
I was at the Rec for Bath, Leicester. I think we both really enjoyed those games. The semi-final lineup is set as well, and later on in the pod, uh, we'll have a little chat about Andy Farrell because the IRFU chest out announced that he is staying to the 2031 World Cup last week. Should we start off with the, the Prem, though? As I just said, Charlie, I think we both really enjoyed the, the matches we were at. Did we kind of get the final day drama that you were hoping for? Did the, the final weekend of the regular season deliver?
Charlie Morgan· Panelist1:11
I think so, and it was different for, as it was always gonna be, it was different. In a season that's been sort of awash with tries, it's been fast and loose, it was, there was more tension. Weather helped a little bit. It was a greasy surface in, in both games. Certainly was at, um, Sandy Park if, even if it didn't sort of teem with rain, and it was pretty wet at the Rec as well. It was 5-3 to Saracens