Premiership Rugby 2024: Who can make the play-offs

The regular Premiership rugby season comes to an end this Saturday with the 18th and final round of games to decide who will secure a place in the play-offs.

The race for the top four is the closest it has ever been, with only 11 points separating first place from seventh - the last time it was this close was in 2007-08 and the gap was 15 points.

Northampton have already clinched a home semi-final and Saracens have a spot in the top four. Two more places remain up for grabs. Any teams level on points after full-time will be separated first by wins and then by points difference.

BBC Sport looks at the final-day fixtures and who needs what to reach the play-offs.

Northampton have led the way in the Premiership for much of this season and their 90-0 demolition of Gloucester last weekend secured an all-important home semi-final at Franklin's Gardens.

Saints are hoping to claim their first Premiership title since their sole win, in 2014, but with the home play-off spot secured the question is how will Saints approach their final game, away to Bath?

The club have never reached the final since their victory 10 years ago, despite four appearances in the semi-finals since. Two points against Bath will secure them top spot in the table, but how much will they rotate their side ahead of the final-four clash?

"We want to be top of the table," head coach Sam Vesty told BBC Radio Northamptonshire.

"We're playing now for who wants to show that I should be playing in the next game as well. The competition in our squad is very strong, very healthy."

Six-times and defending champions Saracens know more than most teams how to peak in the Premiership at the right time.

Aside from the seasons they were relegated and in the Championship, Saracens have finished in the top four every campaign since 2008-09.

This season, however, has not seen them railroad through the league and the noise around captain Owen Farrell's departure - and confirmation this week that Billy and Mako Vunipola will be following - has often detracted from the field.

But Saracens have looked formidable in recent games. A narrow win away to rivals Bath was a real statement of intent, before they showed their class to brush aside Bristol and claim another top-four spot, despite enduring 10 minutes down to 13 men.

"We're playing our best rugby and probably have got our best team energy at the right time," director of rugby Mark McCall told BBC Radio London.

If they beat Sale, Saracens will finish second. Even a loss might be enough, if Bath also do not win, although the score has to finish with them within three points of the Sharks.

A place in the play-offs for the first time since 2019-20 would cap the journey Bath have been on over the past two years under Johann van Graan.

They have their fate in their own hands and need one point from their final game. If Saracens don't beat Sale they can also leapfrog them into second and take a home advantage in the semi-finals.

Standing in Bath's way, however, is a formidable Northampton side, who have not only set the standard so far this season but also came out on top 24-18 when they met in November.

"It's going to be a difficult one but we've got to put our best foot forward and hopefully get a result," flanker Ted Hill told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's not so important what they bring - it's more about what we can do and put out onto the field."

Sale's late surge has seen them creep back into the top four right when it matters most, at the crescendo of the season.

Last year's finalists have struggled to find the form that took them to Twickenham last spring, and a run of four league defeats to start 2024 dropped them to seventh.

A do-or-die win against Exeter revived their chances and they have shown the necessary consistency to back it up with wins against Harlequins, Newcastle and Leicester.

If they beat Saracens they will be in the top four, but lose and it will allow teams below them to take over their spot.

After the number of changes Exeter have undergone in the past 12 months, director of rugby Rob Baxter is just happy his team still have "something to fight for" going into the final match, after a massive 58-26 win against Harlequins.

A bonus point win over Leicester is a must. After that, if Bath lose and do not pick up any bonus points against Northampton, or if Sale lose to Saracens, Exeter would jump above either of them.

If Harlequins miss out on a place in the top four, scrum-half Danny Care says the team would be "disappointed".

"I think this club should be playing in the top four of the Premiership, so we've got to have a look at that and where we potentially went wrong and dropped points this year," he added to BBC Radio London.

Five consecutive losses going into this weekend have hurt Quins and while they are not out of the running, they need to beat Bristol and hope that Sale and Exeter above them both lose.

And with a lower win tally and the worst points difference of the clubs around them, only a bonus point win would certainly see them in if others lose.

While mathematically Bristol are not out contention, the 40-21 loss to Saracens in their final home game took control in the play-off race away from them.

They need to beat Harlequins by five points and hope Sale and Exeter lose, although even a Sale loss with the Sharks picking up two bonus points would see Bristol leapfrog them thanks to their superior points difference.

Still, this season marks considerable improvement from the Bears, who have been 10th and ninth in the past two campaigns.

"We're in the mix which is a testament to the good work the boys have done all season," director of rugby Pat Lam said this week.

The two semi-finals will take place on 31 May and 1 June.

Northampton will face whoever finishes fourth, at Franklin's Gardens in the first play-off match on Friday, 31 May, with kick-off at 19:45 BST.

Second place will then take on third place on Saturday, 1 June, with kick-off at 15:00 BST.

The two winners will face each other in the final at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 8 June at 15: 00 BST.