A Comparitive Look at Zurich Prem. Points

As the season progresses, it will show how each side is doing in relation to last term. I have also used extreme licence and produced a league table, which makes the ridiculous assumption that all remaining matches have exactly the same result as last season. This should be regarded as nothing more than a bit of fun, although as the season goes on it will become a more realistic prediction.

While, at this early stage, these figures give only a vague indication of how teams are performing, and three games is hardly a basis for predicting a whole season, again the whole exercise should be of more use in comparing sides' campaigns as we get further into the competition.

* Obviously Worcester do not have results from last season to be compared, so I have used Rotherham's matches for 2003/04.

Week Three

Saints' home defeat by Gloucester at the weekend sparked gloom and despondency, not least in the Shaddo household, but in comparison to last season Northampton are still +3 with three games gone. Gaining four points at Franklin's Gardens compared to the zero they took away last term means Gloucester are +7 over the three games, along with Sale. Most improved thus far are Falcons whose three wins put them +8 compared with the equivalent results last season.

Despie gaining their first win of the season at Worcester, Bath are still losing ground on their performance last term, as they failed to earn a try-scoring bonus point, leaving them -5 over the three games. Our friends in the Pretty City are, however, doing better than Wasps, who are already seven points behind where their position after the equivalent fixtures last season, while Harlequins' nightmares continue, dropping eight points.

The Table

A win for Bath and loss for Saints means they swop places at the top, although there's still only one point in it. Wasps' dreadful start to the season sees them drop out of the top three, to be replaced by Gloucester, who would therefore be looking to repeat Saturday's performance in a play-off semi-final at the Gardens. Sale and Newcastle are steadily moving through the mid-table ranks, while Quins are slipping rapidly towards the basement. The muli-coloured Londoners have a way to go before Leeds can start breathing a sigh of relief, although both look safe from relegation while Worcester are still a long way adrift. The newcomers are +2 compared with Rotherham last season, picking up a couple of losing bonus points, but need a couple of wins under their belts before they can start making real progress.

Bath

A Saints            0          0

H Falcons         4          0

A Worcs           5          4

A Quins                        1

H Gloucs           5

Comparison -5

Gloucester

A Leeds            1          4

H Irish   4          4

A Saints            0          4

H Falcons         5

A Bath  0

Comparison +7

Harlequins

A Irish   0          1

H Saints            5          0

A Falcons         5          1

H Bath  4

A Worcs           5

Comparison  -8

Leeds

H Gloucs           4          1

A Tigers            0          0

H Wasps           1          1

A Sarries           0

H Sharks           4

Comparison  -3

Leicester

A Sharks           2          1

H Leeds            5          5

A Irish   4          5

H Saints            0

A Falcons         3

Comparison  0

London Irish

H Quins            2          4

A Gloucs           0          0

H Tigers            0          0

A Wasps           1

H Sarries           1

Comparison  +2

Wasps

A Sarries           5          1

H Sharks           4          1

A Leeds            4          4

H Irish   4

A Saints            0

Comparison  -7

Falcons

A Worcs           4          4

A Bath  0          5

H Quins1           4

A Gloucs           0

H Tigers            2

Comparison  +8

Northampton

H Bath  4          5

A Quins            0          5

H Gloucs           4          1

A Tigers            4

H Wasps           4

Comparison +3

Sale

H Tigers            2          4

A Wasps           0          4

H Sarries           4          4

H Worcs           5

A Leeds            0

Comparison  +6

Saracens

H Wasps           0          4

H Worcs           5          4

A Sharks           0          0

H Leeds            4

A Irish   4

Comparison +3

Worcester

H Falcons         1          0

A Sarries           0          1

H Bath  0          1

A Sale  0

H Quins            0

Comparison +2

How it would end

Bath                 74

Saints              73

Gloucs             70

Wasps              66

Sharks             59

Tigers              55

Falcons            53

Irish                 51

Quins               44

Sarries             42

Leeds               34

Worcs              5