The second round of 2025/26 Prem Rugby Next Gen action gets underway this week, with games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
If follows an extraordinary opening round last weekend, where the average number of points per game was an extraordinary 88. If it is a sign of the academy season to come, then highlights reels are going to have to start becoming about half an hour long just to pack in all of the tries.
With systems more familiar after a round of action though, and in a few cases with some more players available for selection, things are surely likely to settle down a little for Round 2.
Prem Rugby Next Gen Round 2 Fixtures:
Thursday 21st August
Gloucester v Northampton Saints – 1pm, 4Ed Hartpury Stadium with Vodafone
Friday 22nd August
Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks – 12pm, Flowerpot Playing Fields
Newcastle Red Bulls v Leicester Tigers – 12pm, Kingston Park
Yorkshire Academy v Saracens – 1.30pm, Bishop Burton College
Saturday 23rd August
Bath v Harlequins – 2.30pm, Allington Fields
Round 2 sees Newcastle Red Bulls, previously Newcastle Falcons before the Red Bull buyout, make their debut for the season after a bye last week – indeed it will be a competitive debut for Newcastle Red Bulls as a brand at any level. Bristol Bears, meanwhile, have the bye this week after last week’s madcap 66-33 defeat at home to Harlequins.
Thursday
The action all kicks off on Thursday lunchtime though, with the 4Ed Hartpury Stadium with Vodafone playing host to Gloucester vs Northampton Saints. Both sides won their opening encounters on Friday last week, Gloucester winning 40-26 at Yorkshire Academy and Northampton Saints winning an extraordinary game at home to Exeter Chiefs, 64-51. Both will want to build hugely on those performances but will be looking forward to kicking off Round 2. Judging by last week’s games, it could be a thriller.
Friday
The bulk of the Round 2 action takes place on Friday, and it is on Friday that Newcastle Red Bulls make their season debut, hosting Leicester Tigers in a 12pm kick off at Kingston Park. It will be a massive occasion on Friday and expect plenty of fanfare and an exciting game. Leicester Tigers will be keen to spoil the party and carry through momentum from their home victory over Sale Sharks last week, another free-scoring game, 38-31.
Also at 12pm is Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks, both looking to bounce back after narrow defeats in high scoring games last time out, Exeter losing out in that 64-51 epic at Saints, Sale in the 38-31 game at Leicester Tigers. Expect another good game between two sides with plenty of ambition.
At 1.30pm attention turns to Bishop Burton College and a second home game of Yorkshire Academy as they host Saracens. Yorkshire lost out in Round 1 to Gloucester and will be eager to bounce back quickly on Friday, but Saracens will be a formidable opponent, a late score at StoneX on Saturday saw them level things up for a 45-45 draw with Bath, they will want to build from that and pick up a first victory on Friday.
Saturday
The final game of the round is a 2.30pm kick off at Allington Fields as Bath host Harlequins. Both showed incredible attacking intent and ability in Round 1, Bath having that epic 45-45 draw with Saracens, while Harlequins were superb in a 66-33 defeat of Bristol Bears. Both will want to tidy up defence a little, and the side that can will be in a very strong position – you suspect that both of these sides will be in the mix towards the end of the campaign.
Prem Rugby Next Gen Round 1 Results:
Friday 15th August
Leicester Tigers 38-31 Sale Sharks
Northampton Sains 64-51 Exeter Chiefs
Yorkshire Academy 26-40 Gloucester
Saturday 16th August
Bristol Bears 33-66 Harlequins
Saracens 45-45 Bath
Round 2 Team News:
Gloucester v Northampton Saints
Gloucester
15 Tomos Evans (Hartpury College, captain), 14 Kai Wilkinson (St Edward’s, Oxford), 13 Max Jefferies (Stourport High), 12 Mukeah Turay (St Edward’s, Oxford), 11 Finley Saycell (City of Oxford College), 10 Tommy Whorrod (Warwick), 9 Luca Woodyat (Wycliffe College), 1 Arjun Mann (KES Stratford), 2 Teddy Smith-Milne (Clifton College), 3 Sam Bryant (Hartpury College), 4 Jack Bennett (Cheltenham College), 5 Jamie Wallace (Dean Close), 6 Rakhat Clarkson (Hartpury College), 7 Felix Baker (Hartpury College), 8 Mosese Tuliakiono (Radley College).
Replacements: 16 Ned Holt (Abigdon), 17 Szymon Zuczkowski (City of Oxford College), 18 Charlie Mason (King’s Worcester), 19 Monty Jones (RGS Worcester), 20 Oscar Churchouse (Hartpury College), 21 Theo Rogers (Hartpury College), 22 Oli Hewitt (Bromsgrove), 23 Ieuan Jeffreys-Steel (Stourport High).
Northampton Saints
15 Woody Hamilton-Hurst, 14 George Cooper, 13 Ashton Cox, 12 Cal Tarry, 11 Elijah Jeyes, 10 Hardy Linnell, 9 Jack Woods, 1 Lucas Veevers, 2 Ferdi Barnett-Vincent, 3 Noah Buxton, 4 Alex Mead, 5 George Tonga’uhia, 6 Will Hepher (c), 7 Reuben Williams, 8 Charlie Hammick.
Replacements:
16 Kingsley Gallimore, 17 Aiden Reid, 18 Ted Warner, 19 Ronan Perkins, 20 Caelin Chin, 21 Sonny Goode, 22 James Civil.
Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks
Exeter Chiefs
15 Ruben Chugg, 14 Archie Guyver, 13 Charlie Bosanko, 12 Will Pidwell, 11 Troy Jackson, 10 Will Lane, 9 Olly Bertie, 1 Mawgan Talling, 2 Theo McKay, 3 Josh Bratt, 4 Solomon Plowman, 5 Hudson Edkins, 6 Harry Westlake, 7 Tyler Knightley, 8 Harrison Riley.
Replacements: 16 Ollie Darby, 17 Louis Tout, 19 Jeremy Keys, 20 Ted Wakeham, 21 Alistair Kennedy, 22 Noah Driesen, 23 Marley Johns.
Sale Sharks
15 Adam Jacques, 14 Alex Wood, 13 Christian Smith, 12 Arthur Scrase, 11 Freddie Ferguson, 10 Cieran Milligan (c), 9 Will Bayston, 1 Olly McCall, 2 Tom Cross, 3 Hendro Hattingh, 4 George Shelton, 5 Ollie Jolliffe, 6 Chris Kirby, 7 Isaac Whalley, 8 Archie Blackburn.
Replacements: 16 Will Midgley, 17 Morgan Simmonds, 18 George Kirkham, 19 Nico Jones, 21 Ed Millachip, 22 Tom Jacques, 23 Joe Wotton.
Newcastle Red Bulls v Leicester Tigers
Newcastle Red Bulls
15 Alfie Warwick (Gosforth Academy), 14 Louis Myers-Lewis (Durham), 13 Sam Owens (Gosforth Academy), 12 Matty Dunn (Gosforth Academy), 11 Jonny Douglas (Gosforth Academy), 10 Will Moor (Gosforth Academy), 9 Tommy Scanlan (Gosforth Academy), 1 Nathan Rickerby (Gosforth Academy), 2 Josh Doran (Gosforth Academy), 3 Mason Proudlock (Gosforth Academy), 4 Euan Oakes (Gosforth Academy), 5 Joe Browell (Hartlepool Sixth Form), 6 Will Graham (Dame Allan’s), 7 Charlie Evans (Hartlepool Sixth Form), 8 Jonathan Broadbent (Gosforth Academy).
Replacements: 16 Titus Oshinowo (Durham), 17 Spencer Moore (Sedbergh), 18 Will Goodall (Durham), 19 Adam Rocks (Park View), 20 Freddie Turnbull (Sedbergh), 21 Toby Somersall (Newcastle School for Boys), 22 Ted Fletcher (Newcastle School for Boys), 23 Ollie Green (Gosforth Academy).
Leicester Tigers
Yorkshire Academy v Saracens
Yorkshire Academy
15 Theo Roberts (Pocklington), 14 Keijimi Ashaolu (Hymers College), 13 Vojtech Nevicky (Mount St Mary’s), 12 Ben Stephens (Prince Henry’s GS), 11 Lewis Jalal (Harrogate GS), 10 Caylen Umaga (Bishop Burton College, captain), 9 Zach Taylor (Woodhouse Grove), 1 Max Green (Bishop Burton College), 2 Ollie Whyte (QEGS Wakefield), 3 Ben Smith (Wath Academy), 4 Isaac Assame (Temple Moor), 5 Morgan Crew (Woodhouse Grove), 6 Ethan Britton (Woodhouse Grove), 7 Thomas Caton (Sedbergh), 8 Charlie Vaughan (Ampleforth College).
Replacements: 16 Sam Johnson (Woodhouse Grove), 17 Zach Oxley (St Peter’s, York), 18 Sam Smith (Wath Academy), 19 Tom Pearson (Pocklington), 20 Alex Fusco (Barnard Castle), 21 Seb Jeffers (Worksop College).
Saracens
15 Charlie Morgan (Mill Hill), 14 Freddie Stewart (Berkhamsted), 13 Rio Bennett (Brighton College), 12 Dan Lake (St Benedict’s), 11 Barney Hooks (Oaklands College), 10 Henry Hodgson (Mill Hill), 9 Charlie Heard (Berkhamsted), 1 Ben Beadle (Sedbergh, vc), 2 Charles Rotimi (Campion), 3 Tom Dargan (Harrow), 4 Gus Chukwumeka (Harrow), 5 PJ Ludlow (Berkhamsted), 6 Max Worsley (Mill Hill, captain), 7 AJ Henry (Mill Hill), 8 Ediz Karsak (The Judd).
Replacements: 16 Tiane Elone (Mill Hill), 17 Dylan Jenkins (Campion), 18 Harrison Perry (Felsted), 19 Ollie Moran (Harrow), 20 Olly Bariball (Mill Hill), 21 Will Birbeck (Harrow), 22 Taniel Tumusime (Harrow), 23 Ore Adebayo (Haberdashers’ Elstree).
Bath v Harlequins
Bath
Harlequins
Prem Rugby Next Gen Fixtures List 2025/26:
Round 3
Saturday 25th October
Bath v Bristol Bears – 12pm, Allington Fields
Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester – 1pm, Flowerpot Playing Fields
Leicester Tigers v Yorkshire Academy – 3pm, TBC
Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks – 3pm, TBC
Sunday 26th October
Newcastle Falcons v Harlequins – 1pm, Kingston Park
Round 4
Saturday 3rd January
Bath v Gloucester – 12pm, Allington Fields
Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs – 2pm, Shaftesbury Park
Harlequins v Saracens – 3pm, Gordon’s School
Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints – 3pm, TBC
Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons – 3pm, Manchester Met Uni
Round 5
Saturday 10th January
Exeter Chiefs v Bath – 2pm, Flowerpot Playing Fields
Gloucester v Bristol Bears – 1pm, 4Ed Hartpury Stadium with Vodafone
Harlequins v Yorkshire Academy – 3pm, Gordon’s School
Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints – 3pm, Kingston Park
Sale Sharks v Saracens – 3pm, TBC
Round 6
Saturday 17th January
Gloucester v Sale Sharks – 1pm, 4Ed Hartpury Stadium with Vodafone
Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs – 3pm, Gordon’s School
Newcastle Falcons v Bath – 3pm, TBC
Saracens v Leicester Tigers – 1pm, StoneX
Yorkshire Academy v Bristol Bears – 2pm, TBC
Round 7
Saturday 31st January
Bath v Leicester Tigers – 2pm, Allington Fields
Bristol Beas v Newcastle Falcons – 3pm, Bristol Uni (Coombe Dingle)
Exeter Chiefs v Yorkshire Academy – 12.30pm, Flowerpot Playing Fields
Harlequins v Northampton Saints – 3pm, Gordon’s School
Saracens v Gloucester – 1pm, StoneX
Round 8
Saturday 7th February
Bristol Bears v Saracens – 3pm, Shaftesbury Park
Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs – 2pm, TBC
Northampton Saints v Bath – 3pm, TBC
Sale Sharks v Harlequins – 3pm, TBC
Yorkshire Academy v Newcastle Falcons – 1pm, Keighley RUFC
Round 9
Saturday 14th February
Gloucester v Leicester Tigers – 11am, 4Ed Hartpury Stadium with Vodafone
Northampton Saints v Bristol Bears – 3pm, TBC
Sale Sharks v Yorkshire Academy – 3pm, TBC
Saracens v Newcastle Falcons – 11am, StoneX
Round 10
Saturday 21st February – Finals Day
Past Champions:
2025 Northampton Saints
2024 Bath Rugby
2023 London Irish
2022 Bristol Bears
2021 N/A
2020 Leicester Tigers/London Irish
2019 Leicester Tigers
2018 Leicester Tigers
2017 Harlequins
2016 London Irish
2015 Saracens
2014 Northampton Saints
2013 Northampton Saints
