Premiership Rugby permutations are getting complicated with two spots left up for grabs.

Northampton Saints and Saracens secured their spots last weekend with them both claiming bonus-point wins. There are five clubs vying for the last two spots in the semi-finals.

So what do each club have to do to make it? Below we run through each club who can still make the top four.

Bath

Bath play top-of-the-table Northampton Saints in the last round of the regular season. Even if they lose to Northampton it is possible for them to qualify but they would need other results to go their way. Here are Bath’s permutations:

• If Bath beat Northampton with or without a bonus-point they will qualify
• If Bath draw against Northampton with or without a bonus-point they qualify
• If Bath lose to Northampton but come away with a bonus-point they qualify
• If Bath lose to Northampton without a bonus-point and both or either Harlequins and Exeter secure bonus-point wins the spot would be determined by point difference.
• If Bath lose to Northampton and Harlequins and Exeter lose, draw or win without a bonus-point, Bath qualify

Exeter currently have a greater point difference than Bath.

Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks play defending champions Saracens in their last regular season match. Here are their permutations:

• If Sale beat Saracens with or without a bonus-point they will qualify
• If they draw against Saracens without a bonus-point and/or Harlequins and Exeter win with a bonus-point they will not qualify
• If Sale draw against Saracens with a bonus-point and/or Harlequins and Exeter win with a bonus-point the spot will be decided on point difference.
• If Sale lose to Saracens without a bonus-point then it is possible for Harlequins, Exeter or Bristol to supplant them if any of the teams win their respective matches
• If Sale lose to Saracens with a bonus-point then it is possible for Harlequins or Exeter to supplant them if the teams win their respective matches. Quins and Exeter could also pip Sale if they drew their matches but it would be decided on point difference. Bristol could also catch them but other results would have to go their way and then a win would see the spot decided on point difference. If Bristol won with a bonus-point they would leapfrog them.

Exeter Chiefs

Exeter will play Leicester Tigers in the final round of the regular season. Here are their permutations:

• If Exeter win with a bonus-point and Sale or Harlequins lose or draw they will qualify
• If Exeter win with a bonus-point, Harlequins win with a bonus-point and Sale pick up three points the spot will be decided on point difference. If Bath lose to Northampton with no bonus-point in this situation they will also be among those being decided by point difference.
• If Exeter win with a bonus-point but both Bath and Sale win with or without a bonus-point Exeter will not qualify. Exeter will also not qualify if Sale win and Bath pick up one point from their game.
• If Exeter win without a bonus-point and Harlequins win with a bonus-point and/or Sale win they would not qualify
• If Exeter win without a bonus-point but Sale lose or draw and Harlequins lose or draw they would qualify
• If Exeter win without a bonus-point but Sale lose or draw but Harlequins win without a bonus-point the spot would be determined by point difference.
• If Exeter draw with a bonus-point and Sale and Harlequins lose they will qualify
• If Exeter draw with a bonus-point and Sale pick up a point and Harlequins also draw with a bonus-point the spot would be determined on point difference
• If they draw without a bonus-point they would need Harlequins to lose or also draw without a bonus-point and for Sale not to pick up any points. Then the spot would be determined by point difference.
• If Exeter lose they will not qualify

Harlequins

• If Harlequins win with a bonus-point and Sale or Exeter lose or draw they will qualify
• If Harlequins win with a bonus-point, Exeter win with a bonus-point and Sale pick up three points the spot will be decided on point difference. If Bath lose to Northampton with no bonus-point in this situation they will also be among those being decided by point difference.
• If Harlequins win with a bonus-point but both Bath and Sale win with or without a bonus-point Harlequins will not qualify. Harlequins will also not qualify if Sale win and Bath pick up one point from their game.
• If Harlequins win without a bonus-point and Exeter win with a bonus-point and/or Sale win they would not qualify
• If Harlequins win without a bonus-point but Sale lose or draw and Exeter lose or draw they would qualify
• If Harlequins win without a bonus-point but Sale lose or draw but Exeter win without a bonus-point the spot would be determined by point difference.
• If Harlequins draw with a bonus-point and Sale and Exeter lose they will qualify
• If Harlequins draw with a bonus-point and Sale pick up a point and Exeter also draw with a bonus-point the spot would be determined on point difference
• If they draw without a bonus-point they would need Exeter to lose or also draw without a bonus-point and for Sale not to pick up any points. Then the spot would be determined by point difference.
• If Harlequins lose they will not qualify

Bristol Bears

Bristol play Harlequins in the last round of the regular season. Bristol have 49 points and so they cannot catch Bath in third so they are targeting fourth place. Here are their permutations:

• If Bristol beat Harlequins with a bonus-point, Sale lose and Exeter draw or lose their match then Bristol qualify
• If Bristol beat Harlequins with a bonus-point and either Sale draw without a bonus-point and/or Exeter win without a bonus-point the final spot would be decided on point difference.
• If Bristol beat Harlequins without a bonus-point, they would need Sale and Exeter to lose or for Sale not to pick up more than a bonus-point and Exeter not to pick up more than three points and the spot would be decided on point difference
• If Bristol lose or draw without a bonus-point they will not qualify
• If Bristol draw against Harlequins with a bonus-point and Quins do not bag a bonus-point and Sale and Exeter lose the spot will be determined by point difference
• If Exeter win with a bonus-point or Sale win their game, Bristol cannot qualify

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