English rugby’s biggest derby? You can’t match West Country clash
French sides dominate my list of top rugby rivalries but the Premiership does have match-ups worth savouring – just don’t call them all derbies
Listen to article
Narrated by Stuart Barnes
Round six of the Gallagher Premiership is upon us. It’s “Derby Weekend” — brand new and highly anticipated. So says Premiership Rugby. It’s hard to know whether to be impressed with the unusual marketing strategy of not going over the top.
Compare with Wales. Across the Severn, once a season they host their two all-Welsh fixtures on what is ominously known as “Judgment Day” at the Principality. One of these days the sinners are going to be cast into the fiery lake, with the winners ascending to a red card-free version of heaven where Television Match Officials are not needed. Now that is proper hyperbole, not to mention a decent reason to read the Bible.
The Premiership isn’t anything like so biblical in its promotion