Premiership promises more thrilling battles for play-offs

The Gallagher Premiership's marketing team have been hard at work giving the end of the season a big sell. News came through as the league resumed after the Six Nations of a couple of key linguistic tweaks that the English top flight were keen to emphasise as the denouement loomed into view. The sprint to the finish would be dubbed "The Run In", while the term "Play-offs" - previously avoided for fears of unnecessary Americanisation - would now be preferred for the two fixtures formerly known as semi-finals.

- HARRY LATHAM-COYLE

An applaudable effort it may have been to legitimise and commoditise this final swing, but there is an argument that they needn't have bothered. The rugby in recent weeks has rather sold itself; it is hard to remember a domestic English season as closely contested or captivating.

The penultimate weekend of the season begins with eight teams still remarkably harbouring hopes of a top-four finish, with nobody's place yet secure and only Northampton sitting (reasonably) comfortably at the top of the pile. It would take a minor miracle for Leicester to salvage a play-off spot from ninth but just six points separate second from seventh- anything could happen.

There are plenty of factors impacting this apparent condensing. The folding of three Premiership clubs during the course of last season created a surplus of top flight-ready players, concentrating the talent within English rugby and driving competition and standards at clubs. A 10-team league is perhaps a better reflection of the talent pool and interest in the top flight, however horrible the method of reducing bloat.

A stricter, smaller salary cap has helped, too - richer clubs are no longer able to spend for success - while the removal of relegation has provided stability, encouraging coaches to trust in youth and attacking ambition.

"It's unfortunate with three teams folding but it's made it very tight which is great for the competition," Danny Care, scrumhalf at Harlequins, said last weekend. "Anyone can beat anyone, which makes it exciting. We'd love to be in a position where we're guaranteed a top four space but unfortunately that's not the case."