PETER JACKSON

The Gallagher Premiership could hardly have chosen a more challenging week for the release of next season’s fixtures than one when The Ashes and The Open left even Premier League football gasping for publicity.
Chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor did his best to bang the drum: “Today is always an exciting day in the sporting calendar. I know that our dedicated Gallagher Premiership rugby fans are counting until the big kick-off.’’
No mention there of the ‘big kick-off ’ being a whole lot smaller than for any season of the 21st century. No mention either of those fans most def...