By Bryn Palmer

The champions may be waiting to be officially crowned, and the vagaries of the Zurich Wildcard play-offs are still to be negotiated.

But after nearly nine months of sweat and toil, the Premiership's 'regular season' (who says rugby is getting more like American football?) is finally complete.

BBC Sport takes a look at how each of the 12 clubs fared, and a few of their highs and lows along the way.

1st: Gloucester
Unofficial champions after leading from start to finish; fulfilled their potential by winning away from Kingsholm.

Highlights: The emergence of Marcel Garvey; the athleticism of James Forrester; winning at Northampton.

Lowlights: Only the financial uncertainty, leading to severe cuts on the backroom side, clouded their success.

2nd: Wasps
Rediscovered their old selves in recent months when a run of seven wins propelled them to a Heineken Cup spot.

Highlights: Josh Lewsey's England breakthrough; a new home at Adams Park; the promise of wing John Rudd.

Lowlights: Narrowly failing to win at Leicester; three autumn defeats that cost them a serious shot at first place.

3rd: Northampton
Despite snatching third place, another frustrating season. Again failed to add up to the sum of their individual parts.

Highlights: Becoming the first English side to win at Leicester in two years; the excellence of Andrew Blowers.

Lowlights: Two narrow home defeats to Leicester and Gloucester; failed in some winnable away games.

4th: Sale
Failed to show the same spark initially but recovered last season's verve in another highly effective campaign.

Highlights: The barnstorming tries and form of lock Chris Jones; the consistent brilliance of Jason Robinson.

Lowlights: Charlie Hodgson's knee injury robbed them of their pivotal player, although they coped well in his absence.

5th: Leeds
Tremendous season - from bottom dogs to this year's over-achievers. Europe could be their reward.

Highlights: Home form - beating Tigers, Saints and Gloucester; the revival of England hooker Mark Regan.

Lowlights: The loss of Braam van Straaten, who was off home to South Africa before opting to join Sale.

6th: Leicester
Disastrous campaign for the deposed champions, who lost first three away games and never recovered old poise.

Highlights: The attacking genius of Irishman Geordan Murphy; the emergence of centre Ollie Smith.

Lowlights: Losing their proud undefeated home record; not using Josh Kronfeld to more useful effect.

7th: Harlequins
Emerged from the drop zone on the back of sterling home displays, but never threatened to rise much further.

Highlights: A record six straight league wins at The Stoop; a first away win in two seasons at London Irish.

Lowlights: The tragic death of England scrum-half-in-waiting Nick Duncombe, at the age of 21, cast a pall over events at The Stoop.

8th: Saracens
Nigel Wray's millions have failed to bring anything more than a troubled season battling the perils of relegation.

Highlights: Thomas Castaignede's return from long-term injury; the emergence of lock Stuart Hooper.

Lowlights: Failure of expensive star names to lift the side; Wayne Shelford's eccentric team selections.

9th: London Irish
Down to earth with a thump after failing to find the collective cohesion of last year's superb campaign.

Highlights: Winning at Welford Road when survival was on the line; Mike Worsley's progress to England squad.

Lowlights: Dismal home form, yielding only three wins; the fading of Test contenders back into obscurity.

10th: Newcastle
The Falcons saved themselves in the end, but survival was far too close for comfort for a club of their ambition.

Highlights: Jonny Wilkinson's consistency in the face of adversity; Jamie Noon's continued progress.

Lowlights: Having to rely on a clutch of southern hemisphere imports at the expense of home-grown talent.

11th: Bath
Decline so very nearly proved terminal, even the return of Jack Rowell failed to transform the fortunes of a proud club.

Highlights: Spirit shown in fighting back to earn injury-time results; Olly Barkley's coolness under pressure.

Lowlights: Too many to mention, but failing to record one try-scoring bonus point was a major handicap.

12th: Bristol
A season of off-field disruption and merger talk predictably made for a campaign of on-field struggle.

Highlights: Finding the spirit to beat Bath at Ashton Gate; the emergence of Michael Lipman and Rhys Oakley.

Lowlights: Slipping to several thumping 40-point defeats; not knowing whether they have any kind of future.