We are now down to two. The finalists are locked in for this weekend’s Gallagher PREM Rugby Final, with Northampton Saints set to take on Exeter Chiefs at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
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It was an exhilarating weekend of action across the semi-final stage, as two cracking regional derbies saw the end of the road for Leicester Tigers and defending champions Bath. Saints Captain George Furbank scored twice, upon his final game at Franklin’s Gardens, as the Harlequins-bond fullback led the charge upon his penultimate run in green, black and gold.
Exeter Chiefs then produced a sublime second-half turnaround to stun the blue, black and whites 27-26, as the men from Devon reach their first PREM final since 2021. Once again, we have pieced together a Team of the Week, picking out all of the top performances from the play-off stage. With the PREM season set to hit a fever-pitch this Saturday, here’s who excelled in the do-or-die semi-finals.
TEAM OF THE WEEK: 2025/26 PREM RUGBY SEMI-FINALS
15. GEORGE FURBANK (NORTHAMPTON SAINTS)
England fullback George Furbank was at the heart of the Saints game-plan, with his two try contribution ensuring that he would have one more match in green, gold and black. After a relatively slower start to his high standards, Furbank exploded out of the gate after the half-time break, as he spear-headed the attacking play-book with boundless momentum in his sails. There are few things more satisfying than a play-off win over the local rivals, and Furbank delivered in spades.
14. TOMMY FREEMAN (NORTHAMPTON SAINTS)
Tommy Freeman was at his very best in green, gold and black, with the versatile back-line star shifted back out to his usual programming along the touch-lines. The England international was unstoppable on the right flank, as he bagged the Saints’ third try, following a well gathered cross-field kick from his club and country comrade Fin Smith. It looked like Freeman had added an assist to his personal contributions, yet the TMO thought otherwise.
13. TOM LITCHFIELD (NORTHAMPTON SAINTS)
It’s not often you see player score a hat-trick in a PREM Rugby play-off match, never mind within the first half of action. The third consecutive Northampton man to make our Team of the Week, Tom Litchfield was the easiest spot to pick, as he recieved a standing ovation from the Gardens faithful. From his opening try courtesy of a solid line break, to his relentless chase down on Freddie Steward to bag his brace, Litchfield was ever present. His third score was less eye-catching, yet the points all count the same following the close range drive over the line.
12. LEN IKITAU (EXETER CHIEFS)
Exeter fans will be gutted to see Len Ikitau leave the club at the end of the season, with the Australian international heading back to the land down under in a bid to make the Wallabies 2027 Rugby World Cup squad. Ikitau has certainly left his mark despite an injury-hit campaign in Devon, with Rob Baxter and co hopeful that he may return to Sandy Park following his incoming stint with the Brumbies. Ikitau was a real one man wrecking-ball against Bath, and had a biting grit to his defensive efforts to boot.
11. OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS (LEICESTER TIGERS)
Taking the spot on the left wing this week is a man who’s constantly pushing for a return to the England squad, as Ollie Hassle-Collins left it all on the line in Leicester Tigers’ losing effort against the Saints. Whilst it was the end of the road for Leicester, Hassle-Collins took plenty of personal pride from his shift, with his outstanding 35th minute score being the personal highlight. The once-capped England wing then grabbed his second try at 70 minutes, following a superb assist from Billy Searle.
10. FIN SMITH (NORTHAMPTON SAINTS)
Whilst Leicester Tigers fly half Billy Searle had a tremendous run in the East Midlands derby, it’s his opposite man who takes the place for our PREM Team of the Week. Fin Smith is once again kicking the men in green, gold and black onward to the promise land, with a PREM title in his sights ahead of the first ever Nations Championships this July. Clinical when it mattered most, Smith delivered some excellent distributions with Tommy Freeman and George Furbank benefiting across the whitewash.
9. STEPHEN VARNEY (EXETER CHIEFS)
Rounding off the back-line is Exeter Chiefs scrum half Stephen Varney, who continues upon his flying form with an Italian re-call expected for the Nations Championship. The half-back is instrumental to the success of the Chiefs, and was nothing short of pivotal to their win over Bath this past weekend. Solid kicking game matched up with an astute management of his attacking structure, Varney delivered upon all this and more, who is beginning to etch a legacy down in Devon.
1. BENO OBANO (BATH)
We start off the forward pack now, with Beno Obano just getting the pick ahead of Ethan Burger of the Chiefs. Whilst there is no taking away from the sensational rise of the South African, Beno Obano kept the Bath scrum in tact throughout some challenging series at the set-piece. The experienced loose-head battled his way over the try-line for an first half score, as the blue, black and whites raced away to a steady first half lead. Obano’s scrum-time intensity was missed upon the second half, as the Bath pack fell to the resurgent latter-stage Chiefs.
2. CURTIS LANGDON (NORTHAMPTON SAINTS)
In at hooker is Curtis Langdon, who was at the forefront of Northampton’s forward pack who prevailed over Leicester. The line-out throwing was on the mark from the England international, who was on hand to steer the set-piece throughout the must-win aerial battle. Langdon emptied the tank with some lung bursting work around the park, upon an impressive 53 minute shift down at the Gardens.
3. THOMAS DU TOIT (BATH)
We return to the bulldozing Bath front row that blew Exeter away in the first half, only for the Chiefs to forge their second-half comeback win. Thomas du Toit was at his very best, in what proved to be his last game in blue, black and white with a Summer move back home to South African now underway. The tight head prop marked the occasion with a try mid-way through the first half, as he unleashed his tride and tested shirt-range drive to back Bath their second score of the match. His 58th minute exit would start the undoing of Johann van Graan’s side, with an uncharacteristically mis-judged removal by the head coach.
4. GEORGE MARTIN (LEICESTER TIGERS)
Next up, we head into the second row for our PREM Rugby Team of the Semi-Finals, with George Martin of Leicester Tigers proud of his performance from the defeat. No matter where East Midlands allegiances lie, every England fan inside Franklin’s Gardens was excited to see Martin back to his very best, with a long awaited international return expected this Summer in Johannesburg. Martin was breathless around the contact zone across both fronts, with some tireless carries coupled with an enduring chop-tackle.
5. ANDREA ZAMBONIN (EXETER CHIEFS)
Whilst there were plenty of plaudits for George Martin’s teammate Ollie Chessum to form an all-Leicester locking pair this week, we back Exeter Chiefs powerhouse Andrea Zambonin for the number five jersey. Once again a disruptive force in the air, with his line-out steals emerging as a definitive x-factor for the Chiefs this season, the Italian international dug his heels in for the hard yards and helped his team make history with their away comeback win and secure a place in the final.
6. TOM HOOPER (EXETER CHIEFS)
The second of three consecutive Exeter Chiefs players that take their rightful spots upon our Team of the Week, Tom Hooper continues to impress the PREM faithful after being named in the Team of the Season. The Australian was dominance personified in the back row, with a relentless engine welcoming the challenge of chopping down Bath’s powerful ball carries. He racked up the second most completed hits of the match with 29, with an astonishing trio formed with Christ Tshuinza and Greg Fisilau.
7. CHRIST TSHUINZA (EXETER CHIEFS)
Next up is the man who’s try-scoring antics went viral across rugby’s social media space, as Christ Tshuinza bagged the score of the weekend from the most unexpected breaks. The big man rounded the last defender with a beautiful side-step, better suited to a flying wing than any member of the forward pack. Tshuinza was immovable in defence as well, with a phenomenal work rate halting Bath’s offensive time and again. Chiefs fans will be sorry to see him go this Summer, with Sale supporters delighted to watch their new arrival in full flight.
8. HENRY POLLOCK (NORTHAMPTON SAINTS)
Another very close call from within the forward pack this week, with an honourable mention awarded to Bath number eight Alfie Barbeary. However, there is only space for one man to cap off the team, with the enigmatic Henry Pollock our pick from the semi-finals. Pollock flourished upon the big occassion, as he brought his usual swagger and skillset to the must-win match. 26 carries were plenty of actions to back up his words, with an unfortunate disallowed try denying him a place on the score-board.
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