And so the season finally begins! The first round of fixtures are always difficult to call, but here are my thoughts on the opening matches.

My most controversial prediction is probably the opening game, where I’ve gone for a Falcons victory away at Sale. The Sharks have had such a tumultuous few months, they are missing talisman kicker Charlie Hodgson and I’ve a feeling they’ll start slowly this season as a result. Newcastle won at Edgeley Park at the end of last season, and I’m backing them to do the same tonight.

I’m hugely excited about seeing Exeter in the Premiership, but I’ve gone for a big Gloucester win as they find their feet at the top level. I suspect they’ll struggle to start with and their learning curve will be steep, but perhaps they can follow Leeds’ example last year with a strong second half of the season to survive.

Otherwise, I don’t think there’s anything too contentious. I expect Bath to beat Leeds, the London Double Header fixtures could go either way, but I’ve gone for Wasps and Sarries to win, whilst I fancy the Saints to win at home against the Tigers.

Here are my Aviva Premiership Rugby predictions for Round 1. Four Away wins out of six? Let me know what you think:

Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons: Newcastle Falcons by 5
London Irish v Saracens: Saracens by 8
Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester Rugby: Gloucester Rugby by 27
London Wasps v Harlequins: London Wasps by 6
Leeds Carnegie v Bath: Bath by 13
Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers: Northampton Saints by 6

“It’s great to be back in London”, Flutey began, reflecting on his short stint in France last season. “When we moved to Brive, we were coming back here all the time anyway because of my injury and the rehab I was doing.”

Flutey spent a large part of last season on the sidelines with a shoulder problem that required surgery after the Six Nations, so no doubt Brive were delighted with him being away on England duty for so long and then returning with an injury.

“We’re all settled now though after all the going back and forth last season, so we feel like we’re back in the comfort zone. I haven’t had too much stick from the guys really; I’ve always had heaps of support from the club for me returning.”

“I have a daughter of 3, a son of 20 months and another one on the way, so its been great to spend more time with the family. I think last season, the Lions season, I was away for about 6 months of the year, so you really cherish the time you can spend at home. They keep me pretty busy as well.”

We spoke about Wasps’ prospects for the season now that he would be slotting back into the midfield alongside Dom Waldouck and Dave Walder, and he was quick to point out that they have lots of new talent coming through.

“Players like Elliot Daly and Christian Wade have played in pre-season and there is so much confidence coming out of our young players – we have a huge amount of depth now, and some of our young players are stepping up into leadership roles as well.”

I didn’t really want to bring up Danny Cipriani, but since we got onto Wasps’ transfer activity, it seemed like an obvious question, but apparently the outgoing celebrity hasn’t had much contact since he left.

“I think some of the guys have heard from him. He’s just getting in shape, training and getting ready for the Super 14. He’ll learn a huge amount over there, in rugby and in terms of life skills, getting away from the pressures of the media and he’ll come back stronger.”

We talked about Wasps’ goals for the season, and there wasn’t much you wouldn’t expect – they are obviously aiming for silverware and looking to play some decent rugby.

“We were starting to score some really good tries at the end of last season, being a bit more patient with the ball, so we are going into the first game with a lot of confidence. We’ve had a couple of refs in to talk us through the law situation, and it sounds like it will be good – I’d much rather have the ball in hand than chase kicks all day”

And we’d much rather watch that, Riki, and it probably won’t do your England chances any harm?

“For all the guys in the Premiership, the goal is to go down and play in the World Cup, and that is my ultimate goal as well. I just have to work hard and make sure I’m in the mix for the Autumn, and then we’ll take it from there.”

And what about the O2 Rugby Reunion?

“The aim of the campaign is to make sure young players between about 15 and 25 stay involved in the game. I know mates of mine that were good players, but then lost interest and went out of the game. We want to remind people about playing for the passion and enjoyment of it, as well as the social life afterwards.”

The final O2 event takes place on Sunday in Twickenham, nicely timed before England’s Women take on New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final at The Stoop. Check out the O2 Rugby Reunion Facebook page, and get yourself along if you can.

Form:

Northampton: Saints played a fantastic brand of rugby last year and surprised many with their great attacking style; their Heineken Cup performances were particularly exceptional. But towards the end their momentum slowed, losing to Saracens at home in the semi-final will no doubt have been a psychological blow. How much they have learnt from three pre-season wins out of four against lower-league opposition remains to be seen, but there is no bigger test than to start against the reigning champions.

Leicester: The Champions left it to the last minute but Dan Hipkiss’ try in last year’s final against Saracens showed why the Tigers are true champions – they never know when they are beaten. Pre-season wins over Munster and Leinster should be a nice confidence boost, and going into the game they will look to continue their momentum.

What to expect:
The Midlands derby is one with a great legacy for classic matches and expect nothing different this time round. The atmosphere should be rippling with start-of-season excitement, and both sides will be fired up having been looking forward to the game throughout the long pre-season. Leicester have been hampered by injuries in the second row to Parling, Blaze and Deacon, so Saints ought to have the edge in the forwards – and possibly therefore in the match – but we’re expecting a close game with plenty of running rugby from both sides.

All eyes on:
New signings in the back rows for each team, Tom Wood (Saints) and Thomas Waldrom (Tigers), will be making their first Premiership starts for their new sides and will look to impress. Wood comes from Worcester with a growing reputation, whereas Waldrom’s move from the Crusaders came as a surprise given his excellent form and presence on the All Blacks radar.

Head to head: Chris Ashton v Alesana Tuilagi.
Ashton’s breakthrough season last year ended up with his first test try in the win against Australia down under, and he’ll look to kick on this year in the build up to the World Cup. The first player who he’ll be running into will be the ominous figure of Tuilagi, his power and strike rate is amongst the best in the league, and so these two top try scorers should provide some fireworks.

Last year’s result: 17 February 2010- Saints 19-3 Tigers.

Weather forecast: Little chance of rain, so with a dry surface expect both sides to play a lot with the ball in hand.

Prediction: Home advantage and a slight edge up front is likely to be the telling factor, but expect it to go right to the wire. Saints by 3.

By Ben Coles (@bennycoles)

Don’t forget to listen to Jim Mallinder and Geordan Murphy’s thoughts on the fixture in this week’s Podcast.

We’re counting down the seconds here at The Rugby Blog HQ, and Stuart Peel has listed a few reasons to be cheerful about the new season.

The World Cup run in

The World Cup may be over a year away but this is in effect the start of the World Cup season. The top players will have very little in the way of rest between now and then, and whether that serves to damage the tournament remains to be seen. But it will be fascinating to see which players come to the fore, which players disappear, who will make a late run and, inevitably, who will be unlucky enough to be struck down by injury.

Few remember that it was not until 2003 itself that Trevor Woodman and Josh Lewsey broke into the England team, that Ben Kay firmly established himself as Martin Johnson’s second row partner and the pecking order in the centres became clear. Hell, Charlie Hodgson started the Six Nations that year at 12; Phil Christophers and James Simpson Daniel played in the summer test against New Zealand. Who remembers that now?

And there will be fascination in watching the development of the international teams. Can the North fare better against the South than they have done of late? Who are the real France, the Grand Slam champions or the shower who got pumped by South Africa a few weeks later?

Was England’s victory in Australia a flash in the pan or the start of something? Will they trust their ability to actually play rugby or revert to type? Can Wales get back the zest of 2 years ago, how far will Scotland’s improvement take them and are Ireland, like South Africa, just the wrong side of their peak? It will be exhilarating finding out.

A coherent and balanced set of laws at the breakdown

The early part of last season was ruined by laws which were loaded too far in favour of the defending team. It was actually advantageous to not have the ball as you were far more likely to win a penalty. We therefore saw no risk, no reward rugby characterised by seemingly endless bouts of aimless kicking.

By the end of the season, the balance had been restored and we saw some magnificent running rugby, and this translated to an extent into England’s performance in the Second Test in Australia.

There does need to be a balance here though. The sort of touch rugby we saw in the Tri-Nations game between South Africa and Australia on Saturday is far too far towards the other extreme but if the laws are applied correctly there is plenty of opportunity to run the ball and also have a contest at the breakdown. Good, accurate rugby, in both attack and defence, will be rewarded.

There are signs that the primacy of the set piece over the breakdown may be about to reassert itself with teams realising that without a firm primary platform you can do very little. Australia have come unstuck in this respect having been hammered in the scrum by England and New Zealand and the lineout by South Africa. This can only be a good thing, as a contest there leads to more space off first phase as back rowers have to stay engaged for longer.

All of the above will hopefully combine to lead to…

Plenty of running rugby

There is a place for the kicking game for sure. When executed well it is a devastating tactical weapon and can provide the position from which teams can launch attacks. But hands up who wants to see it the whole time? Thought not.

Rugby should be a game where, within reason, he who dares wins. The Premiership contains plenty of outstanding ball players but the likes of Geraghty, Lamb and our perennial favourite, Simpson-Daniel, are too often wasted in favour of one-dimensional mutes who will guarantee you possession for another phase even if they lack the wit to do anything other than bugger all with it.

The back end of last season saw the runners and movers come to the fore and it made for a wonderful spectacle. A whole season of that and we will all be purring, whether our team wins or not.

Other things which may or may not happen

- Miles Harrison to express an opinion of his own rather than just agreeing with everything Stuart Barnes says.

- Has anyone else noticed that Dewi Morris looks increasingly like an owl? At some stage in the season I expect him to turn his head through a full 360 degrees.

- Shaun Edwards to release a book of romantic poetry.

- James Haskell to carry the ball in two hands and complete an offload out of contact.

- Nick Easter to score a hat-trick of pushover tries against Australia.

- Richard Cockerill to give a referee a big hug and a kiss on the cheek after a match.

- Danny Cipriani to have a fling with a member of the Neighbours or Home and Away cast.

- New Zealand to win a Grand Slam on their autumn tour and choke a year later.

Photo: Patrick Khachfe/Onside Images

This week, Jim Mallinder, Geordan Murphy, Ben Cohen, the views of the fans plus your chance to win a pair of tickets to the next Aviva Premiership Rugby match between Bath Rugby & London Irish.  Listen online below or download via iTunes to listen at your leisure!   

You can follow Nick on Twitter: @rugbypodcast

Picture courtesy of Patrick Khachfe/Onside Images]

Team: Bath Rugby
Coach: Steve Meehan
Home ground: The Rec

Players In:
Tom Biggs (Newcastle Falcons), Mark McMillan (Glasgow Warriors), Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), Simon Taylor (Stade Francais), Sam Vesty (Leicester Tigers), Ross Batty (Rotherham)

Players Out:
Mike Baxter, Scott Bemand, Daniel Browne, Rhys Crane, Ryan Davis, Rob Hawkins, Nicky Little, Joe Maddock, Julian Salvi, Matt Spelman, Michael Stephenson.

Strengths:
After an impressive run to the play-offs last season and with a new chairman in Bruce Craig, Bath have used their cash wisely in the off-season to sign some serious talent. Lewis Moody is England captain and in the form of his life and his arrival has been complemented by the versatile Simon Taylor in the back-row (or second row!). Taylor’s career has been up and down but there’s no doubting his talent and he should thrive as part of Bath’s offloading game plan.

At times last season Sam Vesty was the pick of the Premiership fly-halves and he has also come to Bath “invigorated” and with “juices flowing”, looking to squeeze into England’s World Cup plans. His first job will be to break into a back-line containing Olly Barkley and Butch James. However, having released Ryan Davis and Nicky Little there should be plenty of opportunities for Vesty whose focus is the play-making roles rather than cover at 15.

Weaknesses:
Not many to speak of, and with Sir Ian McGeechan on the coaching team, he’ll be sure to iron them out pretty quickly.

One to watch:
One of the biggest transfer headlines of the summer was England’s captain leaving the Tigers after 14 years at Welford Road. How well Lewis Moody adjusts to his new club might just be key to Bath’s chances, but the prospect of Moody, Luke Watson and Simon Taylor in the back row is very compelling.

Last season:
4th

Prediction:
Despite having lost a fair few players, the quality of Bath’s squad has improved and nothing less than a play-off place and a strong showing in Europe will suffice. If key men stay injury free the Premiership could well be heading South-West this year. 1st

——————-

Team: Exeter Chiefs
Coach: Rob Baxter
Home ground: Sandy Park

Players In:
Luke Arscott (Bristol Rugby), Garrick Cowley (Esher), Ryan Davis (Bath Rugby), Ignacio Elosu (Viadana), Eoghan Grace (Shannon), Andrew Higgins (unattached), James Phillips (Bristol Rugby), Jason Shoemark (Hawke’s Bay), Jon Vickers (Northampton Saints), Chris Whitehead (London Welsh)

Players Out:
Tom Bedford (Bedford Blues), Richard Bolt (Bristol Rugby), Sam Blythe (Taunton), Matt Cornwell (Northampton Saints), Toby Freeman (Ordizia), Danny Gray (unattached), Shane Kingsland (Manawatu), Steve Jones (unattached), Emyr Lewis (retired), Sean Marsden (Bristol Rugby), Alan Miller (unattached), Saul Nelson (London Welsh Clive Stuart-Smith (Esher), Sean Tomes (Bedford Blues)

Strengths:
The Premiership new boys will have the wind in their sails and a massive surge of home support and goodwill going into the new season. Furthermore, they arrive on the back of Leeds’ impressive season last year proving results are there to be had if fitness and effort are the core facets of the squad.

Few teams will know what to expect from a visit to Sandy Park, and this could work to their great advantage. Results in home fixtures will be crucial for Exeter but it is doubtful they will be anywhere else than in and around the relegation dog-fight as the season draws to a close.

Weaknesses:
The lack of proven Premiership quality could well be their undoing. Rob Baxter has made a few shrewd signings, but the general dearth of experience in the squad could mean they are caught like rabbits in headlights during the first half of the season, and then find that there’s no way back.

One to watch:
Former Bath wing Andrew Higgins could be one of the signings of the season, with one or two ghosts to banish after his miscreant behaviour and a stage on which to do so with the underdog side.

Last season:
Promoted from The Championship

Prediction:
I’d love to see another survival story, but I’m not brave enough to predict anything other than 12th.

——————-

Team: Gloucester Rugby
Coach: Bryan Redpath
Home ground: Kingsholm

Players In:
Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors), Brett Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh)

Players Out:
Jake Boer (retired), Marco Bortolami (Aironi), Gareth Delve (Melbourne Rebels), Adam Eustace (Northampton Saints), Ben Phillips (Birmingham Solihull), Apo Satala (Sale Sharks), Greg Somerville (Melbourne Rebels), Carlos Spencer (Lions), Semi Tadulala (Leeds Carnegie), Andy Williams (Worcester Warriors)

Strengths: Gloucester boast one of the most hostile grounds in the Premiership, and their home form is usually up there with the best. After several seasons battling it out at the top, they now look like a mid-table team, but if they are consistent at home and surprise a few sides away, then the playoffs aren’t necessarily out of reach.

Weaknesses: Gloucester have lacked conviction for some time. Under Dean Ryan, they were usually exposed only in the knockout stages, but last season their soft centre was seen regularly to leave them languishing in 7th. Not a huge amount has changed as far as I can tell, so mid-table mediocrity looms.

One to watch: Dave Attwood is quickly becoming one of my favourite players, and he’s suddenly one of the senior squad members thanks to his experience with England. Regular towering performances in the second row could lift his team well into the top half of the table.

Last season:
7th

Prediction:
Ought to push for the playoffs, but slightly shy of top four quality – 6th.

——————-

Team: Leeds Carnegie
Coach: Neil Back
Home ground: Headingley Carnegie

Players In:
Miguel Alonso (Viadana) Daniel Browne (number eight, Bath), Warren Fury (scrum-half, Wasps), Sean Hohneck (lock, Viadana), Michael Stephenson (wing, Bath), Semi Tadulala (wing, Gloucester), Steve Thompson (hooker, Brive), James Tincknell (winger, Wharfedale), Christian Lewis-Pratt (Northampton), Jesus Moreno Rodriguez (Spain), Lachlan Mackay (Brive)

Players Out:
Scott Armstrong (wing, Northampton), Joe Bedford (scrum-half, Rotherham), Peter Bucknall (prop, Leicester), Calum Clark (flanker, Northampton), Joe Ford (fly-half, Northampton), Andy Gomarsall (scrum-half, released), Jon Goodridge (full-back, released), Jonny Hepworth (winger, Rotherham), Erik Lund (lock, Biarritz), Tommy McGee (prop, Wharfedale), Vili Ma’asi (hooker, London Welsh), Alex Moreno (prop, retired), Phil Murphy (number eight, released), Henry Paul (centre, Rotherham), Seru Rabeni (centre, La Rochelle), Rob Rawlinson (hooker, retired), Jason Strange (fly-half, released), George Warner (hooker, Moseley), Richard Welding (wing, Rotherham), Adam Greendale (released)

Strengths:
Physical fitness and mental determination kept Leeds up last year, and Leeds have made some astute signings to help their survival and progression in the Premiership this season. Steve Thompson, Sean Hohneck, Daniel Brown and Michael Stephenson are all Premiership quality and should slot straight into the first team at Leeds to complement the talent of Ceiron Thomas at fly-half and Hendre Fourie in the back-row.

Neil Back has been assisted by the money men behind Leeds allowing the club to freeze their loan repayments for a season and increase the player quantity and quality. It’s a long term view that should pay off if the team continues to improve on the pitch.

Weaknesses:
Leeds are lacking real firepower outside Thomas, suggesting they’ll continue to grind out victories rather than dismantle opposition sides with pace and precision. They’ve a strong pack that should see them survive again, but I can’t see them opening up in the way that teams above them are able to.

One to watch:
Wing Michael Stephenson has been signed from Bath to boost that firepower in the backs, so it will be interesting to see how much ball he gets. He wasn’t getting a lot of gametime at Bath, but there’s a chance he could flourish in this side.

Last season:
10th

Prediction:
We think they’ll do enough to avoid a relegation battle going into the last couple of rounds, but can’t yet see them mid-table – 10th.

——————-

Team: Leicester Tigers
Coach: Richard Cockerill
Home ground: Welford Road

Players In:
Horacio Agulla (winger, Brive), Peter Bucknall (prop, Leeds), Rob Hawkins (hooker, Bath), Lee Robinson (winger, Bristol), George Skivington (lock, Wasps), Thomas Waldrom (number eight, Crusaders)

Players Out:
Mefin Davies (hooker, Ospreys), Brett Deacon (back-row, Gloucester), Harry Ellis (scrum-half, retired), Robbie Harris (prop, released), Ben Kay (lock, retired), Aaron Mauger (centre, retired), Lewis Moody (flanker, Bath), Johne Murphy (wing, Munster), Greig Tonks (full-back, Northampton), Sam Vesty (utility back, Bath)

Strengths:
Every season, Leicester manage to couple European rugby with a strong domestic showing and plenty of opportunities for trophies as the season draws to a close. Squad management, long-term succession planning and an eye for a marquee player are traits handed down through generations of coaches and this season looks set to follow the same path.

Weaknesses:
That said, the Tigers’ aura of invincibility seems to be dissipating slightly, and defeats to Saracens and Northampton towards the end of last season will give hope to the rest of the teams. And they’ve lost Lewis Moody who certainly won’t be easy to replace.

One to watch:
Thomas Waldrom is an incredible signing given that he shone for the Crusaders last season and has been unlucky not to be in the All Black reckoning recently. His style of play will suit the Premiership perfectly and he’ll slot perfectly into a back row of Tom Croft and one of Ben Woods or Craig Newby.

Last season:
1st

Prediction:
I think Bath and Saracens will kick on from last season and may well finish above the Tigers in the league, but when it comes down to the play-offs, Leicester will be involved and it will take an immense effort to stop them. 3rd

——————-

Team: London Irish
Coach: Toby Booth
Home ground: Madejski Stadium

Players In:
Darren Allinson (Cardiff Blues), Guy Armitage (Wellington College), Daniel Bowden (Canterbury Crusaders), Brian Blaney (Leinster), Sam Edgerley (Wellington College), Marland Yarde (Whitgift School)

Players Out:
Danie Coetzee (Retired), Charlie Gower (Released), Peter Hewat (Suntory), Andy Perry (Released), John Rudd (Retired), Peter Richards (Retired)

Strengths: On their day, the Exiles can play at devastating pace, with big strong runners hitting gaps and putting their side on the front foot. They’ve been able to surprise a few teams with such speed, and if they can minimise their off days on which they don’t seem to perform, they should challenge at the right end of the table.

Weaknesses: The off days were becoming slightly more frequent as the season progressed last year, and it’s this inexplicable propensity for them to lose their way that is likely to hinder their chances this term. Chief executive Andy Martin has cited a top four finish as the minimum requirement, but the squad is largely unchanged and they are no longer the surprise package in the league.

One to watch: The precocious Tom Homer made a big impact in a few matches towards the end of last year, and this season could become a fixture at full-back. He looks confident at the back and the schoolboy 100-metre sprinter has pace to burn.

Last season:
6th

Prediction:
We’re expecting another hard-fought but ultimately fruitless season with London Irish falling away towards the end of the season – 8th

——————-

Team: London Wasps
Coach: Shaun Edwards
Home ground: Adams Park

Players In:
Bob Baker (Wasps Academy), Nic Berry (Racing Metro), Charlie Davies (Stade Francais), Riki Flutey (Brive), Richard Haughton (Saracens), Seb Jewell (Harlequins), Tom Lindsay (Wasps Academy), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues), James Cannon (Northampton Saints)

Players Out:
Gabriel Bocca (Unattached), Danny Cipriani (Melbourne Rebels), Hugo Ellis (Newport Gwent Dragons), Warren Fury (Leeds), Eoghan Hickey (Unattached), James Honeyben (unattached), Dan Leo (Bordeaux), Lachlan Mitchell (Melbourne Rebels), Mark Robinson (Retired), Paul Sackey (Toulon), George Skivington (Leicester Tigers), Lee Smith (Leeds Rhinos)

Strengths:
Although Wasps have parted company with their brightest talent, Danny Cipriani, they have put their faith in club stalwart Dave Walder to guide them through the new season. The Wasps midfield has been a key strength for several years, and with Riki Flutey returning from France to rejoin Walder and Dominic Waldouck, they should have the talent to unlock opposition defences.

Weaknesses:
Losing two dynamic young forwards in George Skivington and Hugo Ellis is a concern. Ellis has failed to turn immense promise into Premiership dominance but Skivington seems to be maturing into an international-class lock and will now give his power and ball-carrying to the Leicester effort.

One to watch:
Andy Powell will be a crowd favourite and should be able to pick the team up throughout the season, and no doubt Wasps will hope that he remains out of favour with the Wales national setup.

Last season:
5th

Prediction:
I think Wasps will be lucky to make the play-offs, but if they do who’s to say they wont be able to resurrect the spirit of ’04 and steal the crown again? 5th

——————-

Team: Newcastle Falcons
Coach: Alan Tait
Home ground: Kingston Park

Players In:
Luke Eves (centre, Bristol), Darren Fearn (prop, Northumbria University), Luke Fielden (fullback, Bedford), James Fitzpatrick (centre, Blaydon), Joe Graham (hooker, Tynedale), James Hall (prop, Coventry), Andrew Henderson (centre, Montauban), Joel Hodgson (RGS Newcastle), Ally Hogg (back row, Edinburgh), Jeremy Manning (fly half, Munster), Redford Pennycook (Bristol), Glen Townson (lock, Doncaster), Mark Wilson (flanker, Blaydon)

Players Out:
Adam Balding (back row, Worcester), Tom Biggs (wing, Bath), Peter Browne (lock, Harlequins), Spencer Davey (centre, retired), Carl Hayman (prop, Toulon), Chris Micklewood (utility back), Rob Miller (fly half, Sale), Laurence Ovens (prop, Bedford), Mark Sorenson (lock, Northampton), Alex Walker (hooker, Esher)

Strengths:
The manner in which Jimmy Gopperth has taken over from Jonny Wilkinson as the North-East’s favourite fly-half has been mightily impressive. There were concerns last year that they’d struggle with the loss of a few key players, but Gopperth has become a real asset, orchestrating proceedings at 10, kicking the points when they are on and ensuring the team does just enough to stay in the game. All of that means that they are a very difficult side to beat, and apart from the anomalous 58-14 thrashing by Saracens, no team was able to open them up last season.

Weaknesses:
Newcastle’s home form has been a concern, with only two victories at Kingston Park last year (although they drew three), and they might need to perform in front of their fans to keep the Newcastle faithful faithful. The Falcons have suffered another big loss in the shape of Carl Hayman, and again there is a mismatch between the quality of outgoing players and that of the incoming players, so they might need to rely on vocal home support to get them through tight games.

One to watch:
Prop Jon Golding caught the eye last year with his solid scrummaging, impressive tackle counts and general omnipresence in the loose. So much so that he’s in the England Elite Squad, and another strong start to the season should see him in the mix for the Autumn Internationals – and having another talismanic prop will do no harm to Newcastle’s league campaign either.

Last season:
9th

Prediction:
Having unsuccessfully predicted their relegation for the last two seasons (sorry Newcastle fans!), we think they’ll do enough to finish ahead of the likes of Leeds and Exeter, but it will be another season of looking over their shoulder rather than up the ladder – 9th.

——————-

Team: Northampton Saints
Coach: Jim Mallinder
Home ground: Franklins Gardens

Players In:
Scott Armstrong, Calum Clark (both Leeds), Stuart Commins (Western Province), Matt Cornwell (Exeter), Adam Eustace (Gloucester), Joe Ford (Leeds), Tom Mercey (Saracens), Ryan Powell (Worcester), Mark Sorenson (Newcastle), Greig Tonks (Nottingham), Tom Wood (Worcester)

Players Out:
Neil Best (Worcester), Santiago Bonorino (retired), John Brake (released), James Cannon (Wasps), Alan Dickens (retired), Barry Everitt (retired), Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe (TBC), Joe Gray (Harlequins), Scott Gray (retired), Mark Hopley (retired), Juandre Kruger (Blue Bulls), Chris Mayor, Darren Morris (both released), Jon Vickers (Exeter)

Strengths:
An extremely strong home record in the Premiership saw Northampton have one of their best seasons in recent times last year. With Shane Geraghty, Chris Ashton, Ben Foden and Bruce Reihana all around again this season it should be another entertaining one for the Saints, particularly at Franklins Gardens if they can keep on pleasing the home crowd.

Weaknesses:
A few first team regulars have been lost, with Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Neil Best amongst the most disappointing departures. Their signings have been solid if not spectacular, so it will be interesting to see whether those departures have an impact on the squad.

One to watch:
Courtney Lawes was on the ascendancy during the first half of last season, but then lost his way slightly – perhaps because he was moved around the back five of the scrum rather than through any fault of his own. However, this could be his breakthrough season, taking the Premiership and England by storm just in time for the World Cup.

Last season:
3rd

Prediction:
They’ll be in the reckoning once again, and the top 4 is very close to call, but I’m going for Saints in 4th.

——————-

Team: Sale Sharks
Coach: Mike Brewer
Home ground: Edgeley Park

Players In:
Aston Croall (prop, Harlequins), Rob Miller (fly-half/centre, Newcastle), Matty James (Manawatu), Kyle Tonetti (Leinster), Mike Petri (New York Athletic Club), Wame Lawaravu (Parma), Paul Williams (Auckland Blues), Karena Wihongi (Bourgoin), Mikaele Pesamino (Auckland), Chris Brightwell (Birmingham/Solihull), Iain Thornley (Wigan Warriors), Nic Rouse (Nottingham), Rhys Crane (Bath), James Lewis (Coventry).

Players Out:
Luke Abraham (flanker, Lyon), Brent Cockbain (lock, released), David Doherty (utility back, released), Dafydd James (wing, released), Rob O’Donnell (prop, Rotherham), Oriol Ripol (wing, Worcester), Dean Schofield (lock, Toulon), Lee Thomas (centre, Lyon), Richard Wigglesworth (scrum-half, Saracens), Mark Atkinson (London Wasps), Ryan Glynn (Northampton Saints), Ed Styles (Loughborough Students), Alex Shaw (Coventry), James Jones (released)

Strengths:
Any team with a backbone consisting of Andrew Sheridan, Charlie Hodgson and Mark Cueto ought to be taken seriously, and regardless of all the change that’s been happening at Sale, no visiting team will take anything for granted.

Weaknesses:
There’s something not quite right about the club at the moment, arguably stemming from Jason Robinson’s departure and Mike Brewer coming in all guns blazing. Quotes like “I will ask those guys [current squad members] where they see themselves fitting in as I may be bringing in new players and they won’t get much rugby” won’t necessarily endear him to the squad.

Plenty of players have come in and they’ll take time to gel, and Hodgson will be missing for the first month of the season so they won’t have his guidance to help them through that transition. With fixtures against Saracens, Harlequins and Bath in that month they may find themselves at the bottom of the pile early on with a big mountain to climb.

One to watch:
Slightly unusually, we’ve picked the coach Mike Brewer as the one to watch at Sale this season – much will depend on how the squad responds to his direction and whether he can pull off a Brendan Venter rather than a Fabio Capello.

Last season:
11th

Prediction:
We think Sale will be involved in a two-horse relegation battle, and will edge it to finish 11th.

——————-

Team: Saracens
Coach: Brendan Venter
Home ground: Vicarage Road

Players In:
Kelly Brown (back-row, Glasgow), Deon Carstens (prop, Sharks), Nils Mordt (centre, Harlequins), Matt Parr (prop, Nottingham), David Strettle (wing, Harlequins), Richard Wigglesworth (scrum-half, Sale)

Players Out:
Matius Aguero (prop, Aironi), Richard Haughton (wing, Wasps), Glen Jackson (fly-half, retired), Kas Lelamanua (prop, released), Justin Marshall (scrum-half, retired), Tom Mercey (prop, Northampton), Fabio Ongaro (hooker, Aironi), Michael Owen (number eight, retired), Moses Rauluni (scrum-half, retired), Kevin Sorrell (centre, retired), Wikus van Heerden (Lions)

Strengths:
Saracens showed very different sides to their personality last season. Early on, they played a dull, conservative and highly effective game that won them more games than admirers, but then later in the season, they let themselves play with more width and put together some of the most exciting performances – not least in the season climax that so nearly won them the trophy.

Weaknesses:
One concern may be in the back-row where two of last season’s top performers, Michael Owen and Wikus van Heerden, have both left the club. Owen has been forced to retire at the ripe old age of 29 after talks with other clubs broke down due to failed medicals. Kelly Brown ought to be able to slot in with Ernst Joubert and Andy Saull but there’s a slight lack of depth there.

One to watch:
Alex Goode had a phenomenal season last year, and many felt that he should have been higher up the England pecking order. Another strong showing could see him force his way into the reckoning for the Rugby World Cup next year.

Last season:
3rd

Prediction:
If Saracens can maintain their camaraderie and keep the squad relatively injury-free they should be able to pick up some big wins during international weekends as they are unlikely to be troubled by too many call-ups – 2nd

ASICS Smarter Rugby is a series of online training videos featuring top tips and expert knowledge from the man who has the experience to create the Smarter Player – Sir Ian McGeechan. Smarter Player and key back row player for Ireland International and Ulster, Stephen Ferris is regarded as one of the best players in his position and at the age of 24 has already achieved 20 caps.

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To be in with a chance to win a pair of these top of the range boots, simply email your answer to the question below to competitions@front5.co.uk before 12pm on Friday 17th September.

Stephen Ferris began his career back in 2006, but in that time, how many caps has he won for his country?

Only one entry will be accepted per person, and the three winners will be drawn at random from all entries received.

Players In:
Tom Biggs (Newcastle Falcons), Mark McMillan (Glasgow Warriors), Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), Simon Taylor (Stade Francais), Sam Vesty (Leicester Tigers), Ross Batty (Rotherham)

Players Out:
Mike Baxter, Scott Bemand, Daniel Browne, Rhys Crane, Ryan Davis, Rob Hawkins, Nicky Little, Joe Maddock, Julian Salvi, Matt Spelman, Michael Stephenson.

Strengths:
After an impressive run to the play-offs last season and with a new chairman in Bruce Craig, Bath have used their cash wisely in the off-season to sign some serious talent. Lewis Moody is England captain and in the form of his life and his arrival has been complemented by the versatile Simon Taylor in the back-row (or second row!). Taylor’s career has been up and down but there’s no doubting his talent and he should thrive as part of Bath’s offloading game plan.

At times last season Sam Vesty was the pick of the Premiership fly-halves and he has also come to Bath “invigorated” and with “juices flowing”, looking to squeeze into England’s World Cup plans. His first job will be to break into a back-line containing Olly Barkley and Butch James. However, having released Ryan Davis and Nicky Little there should be plenty of opportunities for Vesty whose focus is the play-making roles rather than cover at 15.

Weaknesses:
Not many to speak of, and with Sir Ian McGeechan on the coaching team, he’ll be sure to iron them out pretty quickly.

One to watch:
One of the biggest transfer headlines of the summer was England’s captain leaving the Tigers after 14 years at Welford Road. How well Lewis Moody adjusts to his new club might just be key to Bath’s chances, but the prospect of Moody, Luke Watson and Simon Taylor in the back row is very compelling.

Last season:
4th

Prediction:
Despite having lost a fair few players, the quality of Bath’s squad has improved and nothing less than a play-off place and a strong showing in Europe will suffice. If key men stay injury free the Premiership could well be heading South-West this year. 1st

Players In:
Kelly Brown (back-row, Glasgow), Deon Carstens (prop, Sharks), Nils Mordt (centre, Harlequins), Matt Parr (prop, Nottingham), David Strettle (wing, Harlequins), Richard Wigglesworth (scrum-half, Sale)

Players Out:
Matius Aguero (prop, Aironi), Richard Haughton (wing, Wasps), Glen Jackson (fly-half, retired), Kas Lelamanua (prop, released), Justin Marshall (scrum-half, retired), Tom Mercey (prop, Northampton), Fabio Ongaro (hooker, Aironi), Michael Owen (number eight, retired), Moses Rauluni (scrum-half, retired), Kevin Sorrell (centre, retired), Wikus van Heerden (Lions)

Strengths:
Saracens showed very different sides to their personality last season. Early on, they played a dull, conservative and highly effective game that won them more games than admirers, but then later in the season, they let themselves play with more width and put together some of the most exciting performances – not least in the season climax that so nearly won them the trophy.

Weaknesses:
One concern may be in the back-row where two of last season’s top performers, Michael Owen and Wikus van Heerden, have both left the club. Owen has been forced to retire at the ripe old age of 29 after talks with other clubs broke down due to failed medicals. Kelly Brown ought to be able to slot in with Ernst Joubert and Andy Saull but there’s a slight lack of depth there.

One to watch:
Alex Goode had a phenomenal season last year, and many felt that he should have been higher up the England pecking order. Another strong showing could see him force his way into the reckoning for the Rugby World Cup next year.

Last season:
2nd

Prediction:
If Saracens can maintain their camaraderie and keep the squad relatively injury-free they should be able to pick up some big wins during international weekends as they are unlikely to be troubled by too many call-ups – 2nd

Here are the details you need:

Tournament: Magners League 2010/11
Link: www.sportguru.co.uk/magnersleague
Code: tapemoat

Prizes are TBC at the moment, but we’ll hopefully be able to sort out some Puma gear, some nutrition supplements, a load of milkshakes, or perhaps a VIP trip to the Rugby World Cup.