The Prem Rugby Next Gen League returns for Round 3 in an unusual October half term slot, following two rounds back in August.
Last year saw the whole league take place in the New Year, though previous seasons had seen the August fixtures. However this year is the first time that a fixture has been placed in the half term window.
In part that is due to a slight rejigging of the format this year, instead of two conferences there is now one single league table containing 11 sides, the ten Gallagher Prem clubs plus the Yorkshire Academy. Meaning that each math week sees one side have a bye.
With match weeks hard to come by, each side plays eight games, four home and four away, ahead of finals day on Saturday 21st February.
Prem Rugby Next Gen Round 3 Fixtures:
Saturday 25th October
Bath v Bristol Bears (Chippenham RFC, 12pm)
Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester (Exeter College, 1pm)
Leicester Tigers v Yorkshire Academy (Denstone College, 3pm)
Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks (Shelford RFC, 5.30pm)
Sunday 26th October
Newcastle Red Bulls v Harlequins (Kingston Park, 1pm)
Gloucester are the only side to win both of their opening two games, beating Yorkshire Academy and the reigning champions Northampton Saints. This week they travel to Exeter College to take on Exeter Chiefs, who currently sit fifth in the table. They began with a bonkers 64-51 defeat to Northampton Saints before a thrilling 62-7 defeat of Sale Sharks in Round 2.
That takes place on Saturday, with the weekend kicking off at 12pm on Saturday with derby day at Chippenham RFC as Bath host Bristol Bears. Bath were champions in 2024 and reached last years final as well, and have started this campaign well, a thrilling 45-45 draw with Saracens (who have the bye this week) to begin before a 38-19 defeat of Harlequins in Round 2. Bristol Bears meanwhile had a bye in Round 2, so their only game was a 66-33 defeat to Harlequins in Round 1.
Also on Saturday, two games kick offs in the Midlands. Leicester Tigers are at partner school Denstone College at 3pm, hosting Yorkshire Academy. Tigers Began the season with an entertaining 38-31 victory over Sale Sharks before a tight 29-22 defeat to Newcastle Red Bulls. Yorkshire meanwhile seek a first victory after defeats to Gloucester and Saracens, the top two in the table. Meanwhile reigning champions Northampton Saints host Sale Sharks at Shelford RFC in a 5.30pm kick off. Saints, as mentioned, started with that mad game against Exeter Chiefs, winning 64-51, before going down to Gloucester in Round 2. Sale Sharks meanwhile are looking for a first win after a tight defeat to Leicester in Round 1 and that difficult outing at Exeter last time out.
Sunday has just the one game, and it’s a home game for the newly renamed Newcastle Red Bulls. They welcome Harlequins to Kingston Park for a 1pm kick off. Newcastle have played just the once, they had a bye in week 1, but made their first game count, beating Leicester Tigers 29-22. Harlequins, meanwhile, started with that epic 66-33 victory at Bristol before going down 38-19 to the 2024 champions, Bath.
It is worth noting, though, that much has changed since those opening two rounds. Not least access to England U18 players, Round 1 saw no England internationals while in Round 2 they were used sparingly after returning from the England U18 tour of South Africa. There is also less holiday interruption, so squads will be significantly different to those opening two rounds – it could have quite a bearing.
Players have also had half a term of top end schools rugby to develop and progress, so expect plenty of change in Round 3 from the perceived order back in August!
Standings:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | BPs | Points |
| 1 | Gloucester | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 2 | Saracens | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | Bath | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 4 | Leicester Tigers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | Exeter Chiefs | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Harlequins | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Newcastle Red Bulls | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | Northampton Saints | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | Sale Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | Bristol Bears | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Yorkshire Academy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Round 3 Team News:
Bath:
15 Sam Bunch (Beechen Cliff), 14 Tom Meredith (Beechen Cliff), 13 Aston Barrington-Hibbert (Millfield), 12 Declan Treacey (Beechen Cliff), 11 Ryan Carr (The Forest), 10 Max Hooper (Beechen Cliff, captain), 9 Ollie Lewis (Beechen Cliff), 1 Henry Veale (Beechen Cliff), 2 Freddie Beasley (Millfield), 3 Charlie Dawe (Beechen Cliff), 4 Ben Allen (Wellington College), 5 Charlie Greenhough (Beechen Cliff), 6 Alex Yeabsley (Millfield), 7 Teddy Skinner (Bishop Wand), 8 Georgia Faosiliva (Hartpury College).
Replacements: 16 Logan Jarvie (Beechen Cliff), 17 Theo Lewis-Zdybel (Beechen Cliff), 18 Sid Moore (Millfield), 19 Taotafa Faosiliva (Hartpury College), 20 Pippo Hurrell (Wellington College), 21 Lawson Horler (Beechen Cliff), 22 Cade Comer (KES Bath), 23 Harry Jones (Beechen Cliff).
Bristol Bears:
15 Jack Taylor (Hartpury College), 14 Harry Randall (Collegiate), 13 Will Moore (Clifton College), 12 Bruno Lamb (SGS College), 11 George Williams (UCS College), 10 Olly Bonds (Wellington School), 9 Evan Russell (SGS College), 1 Kaiden Corbett (SGS College), 2 Harry Edwards (Wellington School), 3 Evan Davies (Clifton College), 4 Jamie McKelvey (Collegiate), 5 Monty Wells (Taunton School), 6 Will Papp (SGS College), 7 Ned Hill (SGS College), 8 Michael Whittaker (Collegiate).
Replacements: 16 Theo Prole (Clifton College), 17 Juan Ignacio Alaria (Taunton School), 18 Lewis Carter (SGS College), 19 Austin Parsons (SGS College), 20 Jayjay Hancock (Richard Huish), 21 Nico Vallebona (Clifton College), 22 Alfie Clark (Collegiate), 23 Lewis Appleby (Newport HS).
Exeter Chiefs:
15 Will McIntosh, 14 Archie Guyver, 13 Jack McIntosh, 12 Charlie Bosanko, 11 Troy Jackson, 10 Will Lane, 9 Alistair Kennedy, 1 Mawgan Talling (c), 2 Diego Lerro, 3 Josh Bratt, 4 Harry Friggens, 5 Jeremy Keys, 6 Oisin Smith, 7 Harry Westlake, 8 Alfie Johns.
Replacements: 16 Theo McKay, 17 Louis Tout, 19 Hudson Edkins, 20 Harrison Riley, 21 Alex Evans, 22 Ruben Chugg.
Gloucester:
15 Oli Hewitt (Bromsgrove), 14 Kai Wilkinson (St Edward’s, Oxford), 13 Ieuan Jeffreys-Steel (Stourport HS), 12 Max Jeffries (Stourport HS), 11 Krystof Wood (Bromsgrove), 10 Tomos Evans (Hartpury College), 9 Theo Rogers (Hartpury College), 1 Sam Bryant (Hartpury College), 2 Teddy-Smith-Milne (Clifton College), 3 Charlie Mason (King’s Worcester), 4 Jamie Wallace (Dean Close), 5 Monty Jones (RGS Worcester, 6 Henry Horsfall (King’s Worcester, captain), 7 Rakhat Clarkson (Hartpury College), 8 Mosese Tuliakiono (Radley College).
Replacements: 16 Szymon Zuckowski (City of Oxford College), 17 Ned Holt (Abingdon), 18 Ben Koolen (Bloxham), 19 Josh de Waal (St Edward’s, Oxford), 20 Jack Bennett (Cheltenham College), 21 Harry Sturla (Bloxham), 22 Jac Couchman (Dean Close), 23 Luca Stickings (Hartpury College).
Leicester Tigers:
15 Will Payton, 14 Nathaniel Robinson, 13 Ollie Myall, 12 Harrison Brooks, 11 Abdul Bah-Bah, 10 Oscar Talbot, 9 James Alcock, 1 Seva Batikora, 2 Marcus Southwell, 3 Kajetan Lewandowski, 4 Fin Charles, 5 Dylan Chessum, 6 Josh Poyser, 7 Henry Johnson, 8 Oliver Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Alex Catcheside, 17 Thomas Court, 18 Joe Edmunds, 19 MacKinley Jones, 20 James Townsend, 21 Matthew Clatworthy, 22 Christian Gordon-Astbury, 23 Joe Henstock.
Yorkshire Academy:
15 Theo Roberts (Pocklington), 14 Keijimi Ashaolu (Hymers College), 13 Connor Dale (Bishop Burton), 12 Ben Stephens (Prince Henry’s GS), 11 Lewis Jalal (Harrogate GS), 10 Caylen Umaga (Bishop Burton), 9 Zach Taylor (Woodhouse Grove), 1 Sam Smith (Wath Academy), 2 Sam Johnson (Woodhouse Grove), 3 Ben Smith (Wath Academy), 4 Isaac Assame (Temple Moor), 5 Alex Fusco (Barnard Castle), 6 Tom Pearson (Pocklington), 7 Ethan Britton (Woodhouse Grove), 8 Alex Pears (Harrogate GS).
Replacements: 16 Will Barber (St Peter’s, York), 17 Zach Oxley (St Peter’s, York), 18 Max Green (Bishop Burton), 19 Tom Croston (GSAL), 20 Jack Nimmo (Bishop Burton), 21 Seb Jeffers (Worksop College), 22 Josh Sundin (Rodillian Academy), 23 Dan Hughes (Harrogate GS).
Northampton Saints:
15 Hardy Linnell, 14 William Howes, 13 Sonny Goode, 12 Callum Tarry, 11 Charlie Tamani, 10 Hugh Shields (c), 9 Jack Woods, 1 Aiden Reid, 2 Kingsley Gallimore, 3 Noah Buxton, 4 Alex Mead, 5 George Tonga’uiha, 6 Rafferty Hewitt, 7 Will Hepher, 8 Jack Lewis.
Replacements: 16 Charlie Utting, 17 Lucas Veevers, 19 Connor Wight, 20 Ronan Perkins, 21 Archie Ball, 22 Kai Fisher, 23 Elijah Jeyes.
Sale Sharks:
15 Austin Keogh (c), 14 Vojtech Nevicky, 13 Chris Smith, 12 Luca Barrass-Robson, 11 Lincoln Gladwin, 10 Tom Jacques, 9 Will Bayston, 1 Hendro Hattingh, 2 Theodore MacAndrew, 3 Lawrence Ogbonnaya, 4 Nico Jones, 5 Ed Jones, 6 Chris Kirby, 7 Ethan Banks, 8 Jordan Ikeh (vc).
Replacements: 16 Tom Cross, 17 Ferg Hayles, 18 George Shelton, 19 Victor Joulie, 20 Jack Bowbeer, 21 Arthur Scrase, 22 Adam Jacques.
Newcastle Red Bulls:
15 Ajay Edwards (Durham), 14 Alfie Warwick (Gosforth Academy), 13 Sam Owens (Gosforth Academy), 12 Ollie Green (Gosforth Academy), 11 Louis Myers-Lewis (Durham), 10 Ted Fletcher (Newcastle School for Boys), 9 Tommy Scanlan (Gosforth Academy), 1 Sonny Hopper (Barnard Castle), 2 Josh Doran (Gosforth Academy), 3 Myles Alder (Bede Academy), 4 Joe Browell (Hartlepool 6thForm College), 5 Dom Henderson (Gosforth Academy), 6 Euan Oakes (Gosforth Academy, captain), 7 Charlie Evans (Hartlepool 6th Form College), 8 Will Graham (Dame Allan’s).
Replacements: 16 Titus Oshinowo (Durham), 17 Will Goodall (Durham), 18 Hugo Hodgson (Sedbergh), 19 Adam Rocks (Park View), 20 Ben Jewsbury (Sedbergh), 21 Toby Somersall (Newcastle School for Boys), 22 Ollie Ashton (Sedbergh), 23 Charlie Dinneen (Sedbergh).
Harlequins:
15 Flynn Roberts (Epsom College), 14 Ethan Karr (Seaford College), 13 Jack Tyler (Newman College), 12 Luc Springate (Epsom College), 11 Jack Cosgrove (Seaford College), 10 Sam Marshall (Whitgift), 9 Max Rawlinson (KCS Wimbledon), 1 Josh Steel (Newman College), 2 Alexei Clapperton (Whitgift), 3 Louca Harrison (Bishop Wand), 4 Jack Beswick (Epsom College), 5 Ellis Woolrych (St John’s, Leatherhead), 6 Kean Lourens (Seaford College), 7 Sacha Freshwater (Whitgift), 8 Leo Dickinson (KCS Wimbledon, captain).
Replacements: 16 Josh Andrews (Seaford College), 17 Sam Smith (Gordon’s), 18 Mikey Leybourne (Gordon’s), 19 Veer Gill (Gordon’s), 20 Alfie Perrett (Cranleigh), 21 Jaiden King (Newman College), 22 Ben Perkins (Bishop Wand), 23 Alfie Suave (Bishop Wand).
Prem Rugby Next Gen Results:
Round 2:
Bath 38-19 Harlequins
Exeter Chiefs 62-7 Sale Sharks
Gloucester 33-7 Northampton Saints
Newcastle Red Bulls 29-22 Leicester Tigers
Yorkshire Academy 12-52 Saracens
Round 1:
Bristol Bears 33-66 Harlequins
Leicester Tigers 38-31 Sale Sharks
Northampton Sains 64-51 Exeter Chiefs
Saracens 45-45 Bath
Yorkshire Academy 26-40 Gloucester
Prem Rugby Next Gen Fixtures List 2025/26:
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 Red Bulls – 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 Red Bulls 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 Red Bulls 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 Red Bulls – 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 Red Bulls – 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 Red Bulls – 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
