Rugby fans, hold onto your hats—Round 4 of the 2025-2026 Gallagher Premiership Rugby season is shaping up to be a weekend of fierce rivalries, high drama, and pivotal moments that could define the early trajectory of the campaign. As the action gets underway from October 17 through 19, all eyes are on three blockbuster fixtures, each with its own storyline, stakes, and history. Chief among them? The much-anticipated clash between Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby, a rematch of last season’s nail-biting Premiership Final.
Bath Rugby, riding high at the summit of the standings after extending their unbeaten run with a commanding 38-17 victory over Gloucester, heads to the East Midlands to face the ever-formidable Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road. The Tigers, eager for redemption after last season’s heartbreak, have a new man at the helm—former England lock Geoff Parling—who took over as head coach following Michael Cheika’s departure. The matchup is set for October 18 at 10:05 AM ET (15:05 local time), and it’s more than just another league fixture; it’s a battle steeped in tradition and rivalry, with two of English rugby’s giants going toe-to-toe.
This will be the first time Bath’s head coach Johann van Graan and Leicester’s Parling face each other as opposing coaches in the Premiership, though their paths first crossed years ago on the international stage. Van Graan fondly recalled their earlier meeting at Twickenham, saying, “I’ve met him a few times. I think he still played for England when I was coaching with South Africa. [He is a] Leicester man through and through, very diligent with his line-out work, and he was with the Wallabies for a long time. I don’t know him very well, but, instant respect.”
It’s not just the coaches who bring intrigue to this contest. Bath’s 23-year-old forward Ewan Richards has emerged as a breakout star, delivering game-changing performances in the early rounds. Richards was pivotal in Bath’s recent West Country derby win over Gloucester, bagging two tries and earning Oval Insights’ best rating of the season. Van Graan praised his young lock: “Everybody was so happy for him [Richards]. He’s worked so hard over the last two years, and he used his opportunities in the PREM cup, but I’d say he really used his opportunity last Saturday. His second try, that line that he ran off, at the late pass, you know he’s fast. What impressed me is he spent 80 minutes at lock and sometimes the legs can get heavy. It’s a sign of not only his fitness, but the team’s fitness in how we finished that game. Really happy for Ewan, but, but my bigger message will be [that I’m] really happy for the group.”
Richards’ form comes at a critical time for Bath, with regular starting lock Charlie Ewels and back row powerhouse Jaco Coetzee sidelined by injury. The depth and resilience of Bath’s squad are being tested early, but so far, the blue, black, and whites are passing with flying colors.
Welford Road, Leicester’s home ground, is renowned as one of the Premiership’s most intimidating venues. Van Graan, however, insists his side relishes the challenge: “We love to go to Welford Road. Not in an arrogant way, just because we love playing rugby. In the Premiership, you’ve got 18 rounds, nine home nine away, so we just get on with the away games and take each one for what it is. Leicester away is always physical, and there’s a massive respect between the clubs, the supporters, the players and the coaching groups. So, we know exactly what we’re going to get. We know it’s going to be loud, but we never prepare for any anything different for an away team, away.”
He continued, “Everyone is tough, whether you go to Leicester, Saracens, Exeter, Newcastle, Bristol, there’s no easy ground. I think that’s certainly one of the things I’ve learned in the Premiership, there’s no easy games. I’d say for me personally, Leicester, from a Welford Road point of view, is one of the more unique grounds in terms of noise. The song when you run out, the Eastern stand clapping and stamping their feet on the main pavilion, that’s amazing.”
Beyond Bath’s showdown with Leicester, the weekend offers two more must-watch encounters. Saracens host Sale Sharks on October 18 at 12:30 PM ET in a matchup that rekindles their fierce rivalry. The two clubs, currently third and fourth respectively in the standings, last met in the 2023 Premiership final, where Saracens triumphed 35-25. Both sides have started the season strong, and with only a sliver separating them on the table, expect fireworks at StoneX Stadium.
Rounding out the trio of marquee fixtures, Exeter Chiefs welcome Harlequins to Sandy Park on October 19 at 10:00 AM ET. Exeter, currently sixth, will be looking to bounce back after a narrow 14-18 defeat to Bristol Bears, while Harlequins arrive with renewed confidence following their first win of the season—a 20-14 victory over Saracens. With both teams eager to climb the standings, this contest promises to go down to the wire.
Elsewhere in the league, Northampton Saints, sitting second after a 32-26 win over Leicester, continue to keep the pressure on Bath at the top. The competitive balance in the Premiership is as tight as ever, and with every club jostling for early-season momentum, no fixture can be taken for granted.
For fans in the United States, every Gallagher Premiership Rugby match streams live and on demand on FloRugby and the FloSports app. From the opening whistle in September to the final round in June, American viewers have a front-row seat to all the tries, tackles, and turning points that define one of rugby’s most storied leagues. Whether you’re catching the action live or reliving the highlights and expert analysis, FloRugby is the go-to destination for Premiership Rugby coverage stateside.
With the season still in its infancy, the coming weekend’s fixtures could set the tone for the months ahead. As Bath looks to extend its perfect start, Leicester aims for a statement win under new leadership, and rivals across the table jockey for position, one thing’s for certain: the Gallagher Premiership is delivering drama, passion, and world-class rugby at every turn. Stay tuned—this round is far from over, and the best may be yet to come.
