Round 1 - Opta Rugby Rankings

After a busy weekend of Premiership Rugby I always enjoy perusing through the statistics that land in my Inbox courtsey of the very good people at Opta and this season I've decided to bring because the weekly statistics article. As the rounds tick by the review  will become a mix of cumulative statistics alongside the individual round’s performances however clearly after round one those two things are one and the same. 

First up let’s take a look at an individual that stood out statistically going forwards and it was Leicester’s full-back Telusa Veainu. While the Tigers did put too many silly errors on the park as I mentioned in the round reflections the positive signs are there and when they click it will be something to behold. 

Regardless of Leicester’s collective errors George Ford - who beat twice as many defenders as any other player - linked well with Ben Youngs and behind them the aforementioned Veainu showed us a fair few glimpses of the feet and wheels that he’s famed more. Metres wise Tigers’ full-back notched up 133, of course some were chasing Semesa Rokoduguni to the line, and beyond that he beat six defenders and made 16 carries, the most of any back. 

In terms of work rate and endeavour two back row duos turned heads with their tackle counts. Lewis Ludlow and Tom Savage made 47 tackles between them while Mike Coman and Blair Cowan put in an industrious 35 as a pairing. The form of the latter London Irish loose forwards surprised a few people but if you’d seen them perform in the Championship then you will know that these numbers are the norm and that actually they normally get through more work in a game. 

GJ van Velze ruled the skies by taking eight lineouts and interesting the highest number of lineouts stolen by any player was just one. Joe Launchbury, Calum Green, Elliott Stooke, Matt Garvey, Jeremy Thrush and Maro Itoje all taking one steal each.

Tackles made

Lewis Ludlow - 26

Maro Itoje - 22

Tom Savage - 21

Taulupe Faletau - 20

Mike Coman - 18

Carries

Courtney Lawes - 21

Sione Kalamafoni - 21

Sam Simmonds - 19

Telusa Veainu, Josh Strauss, Jonny May, Josh Adams, Ahsee Tuala and Tom Wood - 16

Metres made

Telusa Veainu - 133

Dan Robson - 122

Will Addison - 121

Mike Haley - 118

Henry Purdy - 108

Defenders Beaten 

George Ford - 12

Alex Tait, Charlie Walker, Joe Marchant, Telusa Veainu, Ahsee Tuala, Tom Collins, Schalk Brits and Nathan Hughes - 6

Turnovers Won

Ollie Thorley, David Paice, Francois Louw, Don Armand, Alex Lozowski and Will Welch - 2 

Round 1 Reflections

After every round this season I'm going to be taking a look at a few of the topics that jumped out at me from the six matches. With 480 minutes of Aviva Premiership Rugby in the locker today's reflections include a look at London Irish's return to the competition, Saracens' exceptional first 40 and a few thoughts on Sunday's match at Welford Road.

Saracens’ first 40 at Twickenham Stadium

Saracens have now won on their last six visits to Twickenham Stadium

An opening try after eight minutes, a try-scoring bonus point after 28 minutes and a 41-3 half-time lead. In short, it was the perfect opening half from Saracens and a nightmare of simply epic proportions for Northampton Saints. 

As Saracens’ 40 minutes unfolded it reminded me a lot of the 40 minutes that New Zealand put on the park in Sydney during their first Bledisloe Cup match against Australia. They oozed confidence, they scored at will and quite simply had a ball. Ahead of kick-off Mark McCall referenced the fact that they had been working on their ‘individual skills’ during their pre-season. Now let’s be frank here, Saracens’ skills weren’t ever a weakness however it was abundantly clear from the first moments of the game that their work had, had the desired effect. Saracens' pack, in particular their front three, showed new levels of dynamic offloading, well Schalk Brits always had them but those around him stepped up and in short it added yet another dimension to a side that already had a fairly complete game.

Of course the ominous thing for the rest of the competition is that this was team taking to the field for their first competitive game of the season and doing so without key names. Billy and Mako Vunipola, Liam Williams, Owen Farrell, Jamie George and Will Skelton are all still to return into the mix - they're no slouches are they?! However as was the case with New Zealand’s Bledisloe 1 performance the back-to-back European champions didn’t replicate the same level for the second 40. As a group of players they are fiercely ambitious and demanding of themselves and I've no doubt that they will be frustrated by not pressing on however their slight second-half ‘lull’ did little to take away from the fact that Saracens looked to have stepped up once again. 

London Irish’s arrival

London Irish announced their Premiership return in style

Ahead of Saturday afternoon few people expected London Irish to make the sort of re-entrance to the Premiership that they did. Personally, and if you read the Out On The Full spotlight on London Irish, I believed that the Exiles may just turn a few heads at Twickenham Stadium. It wasn't a full gone conclusion that they would but they certainly had the potential to deliver a outing akin to the one that we saw on Saturday afternoon. 

Now, well all know that a season is not defined by one game instead the Aviva Premiership is a marathon with multiple twists and turns. The excellent thing for London Irish - both fans and players - is the reaction of their Director of Rugby to this opening victory. After he’d praised his side’s physicality, character and endeavour he answered the question as to whether the win would have earned the respect of their rivals;

“No. I don’t think so no. Everyone has got us down to finish 12th, I was just sat next to Ugo Monye and he had them by 17 points today and I imagine that he will have a similar prediction next week against Exeter. One game means nothing, we’ve got a lot of work to do to properly earn people’s respect.”

That’s the type of leadership that London Irish need and it's yet another example of why I’ve said from the word go that their former lock is exactly the right person to be leading them into this new era. Exeter away is their next challenge, a huge one, however you cannot put a price on the value of this Round 1 win. Indeed the Chiefs at Sandy Park may be too much for the Exiles but they have shown that they will turn heads in their opening block of matches and throuhgout this season if they use Saturday's performance as a base to build from. 

Spotlight on Welford Road

A firecracker of a game - little love lost between the two!

It had been 13 years, 9 months, 5 days since Bath Rugby last won in the Aviva Premiership at Welford Road. All week the talk had been about the hosts yet it was the visitors who arrived ready to upset the order and ruffle a few feathers. While words internally will be said about Bath's discipline and the fact that they had to finish the game with 13 men, the fact that they duked it out away from home and took the W was exactly what their management wanted to see. 

Bath's pre-season has been focused on improving their output on the road and ensuring that they don't execute differently away from The Recreation Ground. The rugby that they played to put them 24-8 ahead was done so with the type of composure and clarity of purpose that they'll need this season. Defensively I thought that Jonathan Joseph had a really strong game while their 9-10-12 combination showed the form that had edged them starts in the first place following their pre-season outings. 

So what of Leicester? Well on the day they didn’t put an 80 on the park but when they do my goodness me they are going to be lethal. Simple errors were costly, lineout work will be one of the orders of the week perhaps alongside some handling sharpness however the potential remains great. Personally I thought that Ben Youngs and George Ford looked confident and dyanmic together in the half backs and for a man who only played his first XVs match against Ospreys in pre-season Nick Malouf equipped himself well. The winger's hit on Taulupe Faletau was a big feather in his cap as well as some cool defence under pressure tracking back. The Australian's wheels and movement going forwards are to be expected from a man that's cut his cloth at international sevens level and with more game time he should bed in nicely there.  

The game and the result sets up two big Round 2 fixtures with Bath hosting Saracens and Leicester Tigers heading on the road to Northampton Saints. The first match will be a significant test for Bath both physically and mentally because in Todd Blackadder's words they're facing 'one of the best sides in the world right now'. While the second will quite simply be a colossal game of Premiership rugby. East Midlands derbies are fiery and tempestuous at the best of times let alone given the context of the hosts having had Round 1 to forget and their opponents losing at home. 

Record tries. If that’s the start, what’s next?

This was some footrace!

50 tries on an opening weekend of Premiership Rugby set a new record for tries scored in Round 1 - the previous best was 36 back in 2007. Now there are some scrooges out there that will immediately say ‘oh defence must have been optional’ however let’s not be one of them! We all watched the matches and instead let’s praise the quality of the a good chunk of the attacking rugby that we saw over the course of the six matches shall we? From Dan Robson's dynamism at the Ricoh Arena to Schalk Brits' outrageous offload to Vincent Koch of just one of Saracens' excellent tries there was so much to enjoy. 

Now clearly when winter arrives we’ll go back to having to sit through a few shockers. You know the ones that I mean... 3-3 at half-time and you're wishing that you could get the last 40 minutes back. Hey, it happens! We live in England and it’s just a fact of life with winter. However right now let’s just hope that the weather continues to play ball and that the clubs do too. I for one and very confident that this season’s Aviva Premiership will be the most dynamic and exciting yet. If you want to win this league then you have to score points and  you have to deliver them in style because mosgt teams’ defensive systems are so strong and tough to break down. 

Overall it was a gripping opening weekend and I realise that I’m saying that from a neutral standpoint as opposed to with colours pinned to the mast. However whether your team won or had a bit of a shocker it's great to have Aviva Premiership Rugby back and the best thing is that there's only a few more days before we build up and do it all over again next weekend!

Here we go...

So here we are… it’s the first day of September and Round 1 has finally arrived.  

After a summer of international and British & Irish Lions action it's time for normality to resume as domestic rugby returns to our weekends. It's the time of the year when we can immerse ourselves in the splendour of Aviva Premiership action and of course add to that the new European and international seasons.

Here at Out On The Full I'm going to be mixing it up in the opening rounds and trying out a few new things. From specific match spotlights and reports to bringing back some key player interviews, I really want to keep things fresh and bring you as much insight as possible. It goes without saying please do let me know what you do and don't like because Out On The Full has always been about bringing a fresh and enjoyable voice. A little mention on Twitter - @EmmaThurston23 - or a message on Instagram - OutOnTheFull_Rugby - should do the trick nicely!

This weekend keep an eye out for plenty of audio and analysis from Twickenham Stadium alongside a focus on Leicester Tigers against Bath Rugby. After all six matches a Round 1 reflection will be on the cards as well as the remaining team spotlights for Sale Sharks, Newcastle Falcons, Northampton Saints and Worcester Warriors. Before every game I'll look to bring you some of the key facts and stats on social media to add a little more context and Instagram stories and live videos are going to feature more heavily this season! 

However right now, with just a short time before tonight's matches, I'll sign off from writing and wish you all a great evening. If you're at Kingston Park or Kingsholm then enjoy being back by a Premiership rugby pitch and if you're about to switch on BT Sport then I hope that you have a glass of your favourite beverage in hand and a smile on your face.

Here's to a great new rugby season! I'm sure that domestically and in Europe it will be the most compelling yet and as Rugby World Cup 2019 edges ever closer that will bring new international dynamics and there will be lots from Eddie Jones right here at Out On The Full. 

Enjoy the night and there will be plenty more on the way here very soon!

Emma 

Harlequins - Big shoes to fill...

If you cast your minds back to Round 22 then Harlequins finished their season with a vital losing bonus point to secure Champions Cup rugby. Of course it was peculiar to celebrate a loss however the importance of not having to add two more matches onto their season was known and as a result the London outfit headed home from Northampton happy. 

In terms of the pre-season conversation then I think that it’s fair to say that not a huge amount has been said about John Kingston’s Harlequins. While some clubs have been discussed at length, the London outfit have gone under the radar slightly and just got on with their business behind closed doors. So what are the headlines that stand out leading into the 2017-18 season?

First and foremost it has to be the movement of Nick Evans from a integral part of the playing squad to a member of the coaching team. The Kiwi has been such an influential leader and driving force at the club since 2008 that contemplating the future without him is taking some getting used to. The need to have a commanding and assured fly-half is a rugby fundamental  and right now Harlequins have four individuals that will be looking to grab the ten jersey and make it theirs. Demetri Catrakilis, Tim Swiel, James Lang and Marcus Smith will all be vying for pole position and the competition between the four must produce fireworks (of the best kind) for Harlequins to flourish this season. For the past few weeks Marcus Smith’s name has been thrust into the spotlight due to Eddie Jones’ positive words about him and there’s no doubt that England’s head coach would enjoy seeing him start tomorrow at Twickenham Stadium. Why? Well because round one of a new Premiership season, in front of 50,000 plus people, would tell him a lot about the young man. 

Elsewhere in the playing squad I certainly can’t wait to see Francis Saili in the quarters of Harlequins and playing Premiership rugby week in and week out. If you watched Munster in the Champions Cup or PRO12 last season then you’ll know all about his ability to beat defenders with his pace and footwork as well as combining that with great hands and physicality. He’s a dynamic rugby player, one that I think will thrive and the fact that he will be at the club all year around is crucial. 

As always with Quins heir season’s success will be determined, in a larg part, by their success or not during the international windows. If injuries strike during that time then history shows that early season hard work can be undone in a flash and clawing that back towards the end of the 22 rounds is tough. Champions Cup rugby could also stretch them because with Wasps, La Rochelle and Ulster Rugby in Pool 1 for company it's not a group for the feint-hearted. As I mentioned when it came to looking at Leicester Tigers, Harlequins’ first choice 23 can turn heads and really make a stand but behind that others have to step up and drive that consistency across all 22 rounds if they're to fulfil their potential this season.  

Over the course of the summer the re-signings of their senior players reinforces the tight-knit club that they are and ambitions remain strong to get them back to the heights of old. However the competition moves on season and now it’s time for Harlequins to show that their building as strongly, if not stronger, than those around them in order to press on and move back up the table. 

Opening Six Matches: London Irish (Twickenham Stadium), Gloucester Rugby (H), Wasps (A), Leicester Tigers (H), Northampton Saints (A) and Sale Sharks (H). 

Champions Cup Group: Pool 1 - Wasps, La Rochelle, Harlequins and Ulster Rugby

Key Player: The successor to Nick Evans in the ten jersey - who that will be yet we don’t know! 

Gloucester Rugby - This season?

So, will this be Gloucester’s season? It’s a simple question that I’ve asked as part of each new season spotlight about the club for more seasons than I can remember now. 

It’s the age old question and will only be answered after 22 rounds. Can this sleeping giant finally reawaken and move themselves back up into the top half of the table and beyond?

Of course this season’s new ingredient is Johan Ackermann and everything that he will bring to the club. Off the back of a Super Rugby final, and fairly fresh off the playing field himself, it will be up to the South African to develop Gloucester’s key areas. They need to find that uncompromising spirit and dog of old. They need to become a side that pushes others around and one that ensures that Kingsholm becomes the fortress of old, a place where opponents look at and think 'yikes'. There’s no questioning the fact that 80 minute games must be the norm and not the exception, repeats of shaky final quarters or last-minute concentration lapses must be a thing of the past. Last season when Gloucester were on it then played some great rugby but I think that it's fair to say that they weren't on it enough, putting together consistent runs of matches has been their achilles heel for a season or two now and now that must stop. 

As you'd expect Ed Slater, Owen Williams and Jason Woodward are three new signings that I’m really looking forward to seeing in Cherry and White. Ed Slater brings that competitive edge and focus that is almost innate having been part of such a demanding forward set up at Leicester Tigers for so many years. Owen Williams is a talented ball player who could run the show himself at ten or play that second playmaker role akin to the one we see Owen Farrell play for England. Finally last season Jason Woodward’s talent was abundantly clear in a Bristol side that, as a whole, weren’t at the races so with a stronger pool of talent around him we should see the full back carve it up!

My perspective is that a positive start is required from Gloucester Rugby, perhaps more than some other sides, in order to cement their belief and provide them with a platform to work from. I personally think that last season that opening night encounter with Leicester Tigers shook their foundations and actually pushed the wrong button in players’ heads early doors. 

When you read through Gloucester’s squad it is a strong one with a healthy balance of experienced faces and newer talents. If they click together and nail that mental strength that we’ve discussed then the upper half of the table is eminently achievable. Alongside the domestic competition I wouldn’t be surprised if they also choose target the Challenge Cup once again. The prize of an automatic Champions Cup spot for the winner is key and they’re in a group that they should win with energy to spare - Pau, Zebre Rugby and Agen - before charging on torwards knockout rugby.

For Gloucester Rugby, as will be the case for a few others this season, it’s a ‘watch this space’ conclusion. Johan Ackermann could just be the piece of he puzzle that they’ve been waiting for. If he is then we’re going to see the Cherry and Whites side that make you nod your head in appreciation as opposed to shake it in disbelief. 

Opening Six Fixtures: Exeter Chiefs (H), Harlequins (A), Leicester Tigers (A), Worcester Warriors (H), Sale Sharks (A), Northampton Saints (H)

Challenge Cup Group: Pool 3 Pau, Zebre Rugby, Agen and Gloucester Rugby.

Key Player: Remove player and add the word coach… Johan Ackermann, plain and simple.  

Leicester Tigers - This could work very well indeed...

I don’t know about you but I have to say that I’m pretty excited to see what Leicester Tigers are going to put out on the park this season. I mean have you thought about their potential back line if all of their players are fit and available? Of course you have and it's world class!

While last season had its fair amount of turbulence what should now follow is a period of stability and my goodness me if they get it right then there’s no questioning the fact that the Tigers have the potential to go back to being a real Premiership, and European, force to be reckoned with. 

History and statistics show you that the club knows how to mix it with the big dogs in in both competitions and while they may have slipped slightly from running the show they remain firmly in the domestic heavyweight category. Last season’s semi-final appearance was point and case and it showed that they know how to duke it out when it matters. 

At the heart of their 2017-18 output will be England’s half-back pairing. With Ben Youngs and George Ford playing together week in and week out it will benefit both the Tigers and Eddie Jones’ side greatly because their already strong relationship on the field will become even more instinctive with greater game time together. George Ford's outings in Argentina were head-turning and I firmly believe that there’s plenty more of where that came. His flat to the line approach, outstanding rugby brain and first class decision making should ignite Leicester’s attack in the way that we've been waiting to see from them for a while. Of course having the personnel fit around him, specifically Matt Toomua and Manu Tuliagi in the centres, will be a sight to behold and an extended run of games with that 9, 10, 12 and 13 combination is a delightful prospect for all fans of Premiership rugby regardless of your allegiance. Let's not forget Jonny May's finishing skills are being added into that mix as are  the feet of Telusa Veianu... I'll cease now because I'm guessing that you get the picture!

Away from the footwork and flair Leicester's gnarl should come to the fore over the next 22 rounds. Everything that they went through together last season should see them arrive at the start of this campaign with even more resilience and gumption. Speaking at the recent Premiership Rugby launch Matt O'Connor said that they're 'in a pretty good place' and that place will be tested first up against Bath Rugby. The fixture will have a rather large spotlight on it and that's no doubting that fact that we could see one of the matches of the season in Round 1 if both sides turn up and play ball. Matt continued to share further insights with Russ Hargreaves who you'll all know well from talkSPORT2's Sportday; 

"The six weeks at the end of last season were invaluable. It allowed me to look at where we were doing okay and where we needed to bridge that gap with the top three and in Europe as well,” said O'Connor. 

"So we've made a few adjustments and we've adjusted a lot of the things that we're doing in the S&C space and made significant strengths in the group in positions where we were a little bit light so it's really positive. But, at the same time it's a tough league and you can't win games at 90% capacity in this league. You have to be performing every week to get the four points and that's the challenge to try and make sure we're a little bit more consistent." 

Of course consistency will be the name of the game, if you've been reading through some of the other Premiership clubs' previews then it's a word that comes up time and time again. As with all top clubs the international windows will pose a challenge however potentially not as much as years gone by because Leicester still have talents that will remain behind. One other individual that I haven't mentioned yet, who I'm certainly looking forward to seeing back to full fitness, is Tom Croft. Boy does he deserve an injury-free run and it would be great to see him get back to his very best over the course of the next nine months.

The six opening fixtures should tell us everything that we need to know about Leicester and that starts with a cracker this Sunday at Welford Road. There is one concern regarding the side, which perhaps I should have mentioned earlier, and that is what happens if injuries strike? 

Of course I'm not wishing that on any squad in the Premiership at all however injuries are a fact of life and the question is do Leicester have the strength behind that startling first choice 23? If their squad members step up and deliver or they have a season with few injuries then everything that I've mentioned in terms of excitement regarding their prospects stands. If not it becomes a watch this space brief to see how their go. For now, let’s look on the bright side and consider that it could be a very productive domestic season for the Leicester Tigers indeed. 

Opening Six Fixtures: Bath (H), Northampton Saints (A), Gloucester Rugby (H), Harlequins (A), Exeter Chiefs (H) and London Irish (A). 

Champions Cup Group: Pool 4: Munster Rugby, Leicester Tigers, Racing 92 and Castres Olympique. 

Key Player: A tough call to single out just one player so I'm not going to... instead it's their combine first choice back line. All are vital and as a collective could fly! 

London Irish - A Challenge Awaits

London Irish are arriving back into the Premiership knowing exactly how challenging their task is and knowing full well that the majority of people are expecting them to fall straight back down into the Championship come May 2018. 

There’s no doubt that it’s a tall order to stay up however Nick Kennedy has recruited astutely and despite being a new DOR on the block he is a tremendous leader and exactly the right person to be at the helm for this challenge. While I couldn’t tell you which team will be relegated from this season’s competition I personally wouldn’t put my mortgage on it being London Irish.

The days when London Irish shone in the top domestic competition were when they had a powerful pack and one that combined with backs that had oodles of tricks up their sleeves. We’re talking here about the days of Bob Casey and their now DOR in the row, Clarke Dermody, Faan Rautenbach and co up front with the likes of Seilala Mapusua and Sailosi Tagicakibau causing havoc out the back. Of course the game has moved on since then but my point is that Irish need to develop that all court squad, play with confidence and frustrate sides if they are going to secure their place back in the country’s top-flight domestic competition.

I mentioned signings a moment ago and making them when you don’t know which league you’ll be playing in until May 24th is a huge challenge - thank goodness that won’t be the case for teams in future seasons. On the evening that London Irish won their final play-off Nick Kennedy was on the phone trying to recruit players and I’d say, given the circumstances, he’s done a pretty good job of it. 

The important thing for their DOR was to bring in individuals that sured them up in vital areas especially in the pack because we all know that’s where newly promoted sides often get bullied. Petrus Du Plessis and Gordon Reid will add significant experience to their front row alongside the former being a tremendous character to have in the ranks. The Premiership road won’t be plain sailing and to have someone with an energy like his will be vital. Franco van der Merwe didn’t make 73 appearances for Ulster for nothing while out the back Napolioni Nalaga has serious potential to carve up in the competition as well as inspiring someone like Joe Cokanasiga at the same time. 

Alongside these new names Irish will need their existing squad members to embrace the jump back to Premiership level and grab their individual opportunities with both hands. This season young players that have turned heads before must do so again with Alex Lewington and Johnny Williams being two and as collective they have to squash people's expectations of them and do so from the word go. 

The club's first six games are pretty horrendous including Exeter and Leicester Tigers however by hook or by crook early scalps must be made to sure their footing in the competition. Twickenham Stadium isn't a quiet and unasuming place to mark your return to action so embracing the occasion London Double Header will be part of the Round 1 mix for the Exiles. Do we know if they're going to be ready come Saturday afternoon? Well no. Pre-season matches can give an indication but until the 23 play for a full 80 minutes both we, and their management team, won't know the true level that they're starting at. 

At full time on Saturday evening this positive reflection on London Irish’s return may look to have been off the mark. But right now, without a moment of the Premiership season having been played, they have done their utmost with the hand that they have been dealt to be ready. The final team coming through the play-off system is always going to be at a huge disadvantage and if Bristol return next season - with promotion secured by mid January for example - then their task of retaining their place will be an altogether different beast.

Over the next 22 rounds of rugby the expectation isn’t for London Irish to push about the big dogs, we’re talking your Saracens or Exeter Chiefs here, however there are teams to be picked off and upsets to be had if they rise to the challenge as a collective. If they don’t or if they have a torrid time with injuries then the next nine months will be tough due to the relentless nature of the competition. The challenge is a huge one but I personally hope to see London Irish standing up and being counted for over the coming months. 

Opening Six Matches: Harlequins (Twickenham Stadium), Exeter Chiefs (A), Sale Sharks (A), Northampton Saints (H), Newcastle Falcons (A) and Leicester Tigers (H). 

Challenge Cup Group: London Irish, Krasny Yar, Edinburgh Rugby and Stade Français Paris.

Key Player: Ben Franks. A fit Ben Franks will do wonders for London Irish as well as keeping an eye out for the aforementioned Napolioni Nalaga getting to grips with Premiership life.

Bath Rugby - Top four focus

Fifth position, won 12 and lost ten with five try scoring bonus-points to their name. 

That’s a very short numerical summary of Bath Rugby’s 2016-17 Aviva Premiership Season while in Europe they had that dramatic semi-final loss at the Stade Jean-Bouin. Overall it was a season that had a head-turning start but one that didn't quite drive them to the domestic play-offs as they wanted. 

At the recent Aviva Premiership launch Todd Blackadder sat opposite me and said that he started his side’s pre-season with a ‘really robust review about our game’. Now that shouldn't have alarm bells ringing for Bath fans, instead it's something that you'd expect him to do before moving into his first full pre-season at the club. The DoR followed on by saying that as well as looking at some structural areas of their game they've focused on their away form as that's an area he wasn't happy with last season. His viewpoint on it is as follows;

“It has to be psychology because we play differently away from home. When we go away we play and we execute differently so we’ve put all of these things in pre-season and we’ve played all of our pre-season games away.”

Like so many at the helm of Aviva Premiership clubs the New Zealander is looking for consistency of output over the course of the 2017-18 season. He’s clear that they while they may get beaten on the day - losing happens to all sides - being there or there abouts every single week is critical. He's very clear about wanting to see his team put their game on the park for 80 minutes, no matter where they are and no matter which side they’re facing. 

Leicester Tigers (A), Saracens (H), Northampton Saints (A), Newcastle Falcons, (H) Wasps (A) and Worcester Warriors (H) make up their first six outings so it's clear that the early Premiership road isn’t going to be a walk in the park. The opening two fixtures especially are big tests and they get more testing when you throw into the mix Bath’s early season injuries. Nathan Catt, Ross Batty and Michael van Vuuren all aren’t expected to be ready for this weekend meanwhile Henry Thomas and Max Lahiff are both reported to be targeting a return in late September according to Dan Evans at the Bath Chronicle. However Welford Road awaits regardless as does the tremendously large spotlight that will be cast on that match due to the fierce rivalry between the two clubs and the recent switch of personnel. Both of these factors will only add to the pressure on the opening weekend. Todd Blackadder is certain - as I am - that both fly-halves will ‘play the house down’ and if Leicester and Bath embrace the pressure on them and deliver we could see one of the matches of the season on the opening weekend. Following that trip, it’s Saracens at home…

“It doesn't get any easier but you’re going to play the best so bring it on. I’m not afraid of our tough start… it doesn’t create anxiety for me, more excitement. They are two games that you could win or two games that you could lose but they won’t define the season.”

As with the case with all clubs, the season will be defined come Round 22 and their position in the table. A top four finish is the target and whether they achieve that or not will come down to ironing out their consistency and having few injury stars line up nicely for them. 

If you read down their list of their personnel then Bath’s squad remains a strong and talent filled one. New arrivals, Sam Underhill and Freddie Burns in particular, will be eager to show their considerable talents in blue, black and white and academy member Josh Bayliss impressed Todd Blackadder in pre-season against Bristol. A tough start may be the making of Bath because if you start showing that can do things the hard way then it sets it up nicely when the slightly kinder areas of the fixture list arrives later on. 

Opening Six Matches: Leicester Tigers (A), Saracens (H), Northampton Saints (A), Newcastle Falcons, (H) Wasps (A) and Worcester Warriors (H)

Champions Cup Group: RC Toulon, Scarlets, Bath Rugby and Benetton Treviso

Key Player: Freddie Burns. A Bath attack without George Ford is going to take some getting used to as he is such an outstanding talent and drove them superbly. The aim for Bath's new fly-half will be to put his stamp on the jersey and use it to showcase his own box of tricks. 

Saracens - Dual ambitions

While Saracens aren’t heading into the season with the target on their back as the Premiership’s title holders, I personally believe that the fact that they are the back-to-back European champions counts for more. 

The squad’s pre-season trip to Bermuda shows that they’re continuing to do things the Saracens way and doesn’t it work well for them? We’ve finally reached a stage where people aren’t having a pop at their trips away and aren’t calling them ‘boring Saracens’ after every game. Hallelujah for that because finally the respect for what they’ve achieved their way has permeated out from just a few of us believing it to the vast majority.

Behind the laughter and smiles shown from Bermuda will be a steel and a determination to snatch that domestic title back and add a third European Champions Cup trophy to their collection at the same time. Lofty goals aren't they? However if you were Mark McCall or a member of his squad, at this point in their time together, would you be targeting anything else? No. I almost guarantee that these ambitions won’t be shared externally however if we all read behind the lines of constant improvement then these must be the goals. 

As usual their Director of Rugby’s signings are astute ones and of the quality that you’d expect the back-to-back European Champions to attract. It goes without saying that watching Liam Williams form part of their back line will be a treat, however I’m intrigued to see if he rotates with Alex Goode at full-back or is positioned out wide. Personally, and I'm sure that I'm not alone in thinking this, I’d like to see him at 15 because given the extra room and time of the ball he’s outstanding. Other individuals that are arriving will help to mitigate against any undulations in form when it comes to the international windows for example Will Skelton and Dominic Day will be able to be permanent fixtures in the engine room in the autumn and during the Six Nations. Calum Clark should boost his own output considerably working in such a motivated environment and other key club men like Michael Rhodes and Brad Barritt will be ever-present and critical.  

Lessons will have been learned from that semi-final against Exeter with regard to managing the highs of a European final and bouncing straight back into knockout rugby. However in my book the loss on that day it didn’t cause any alarm bells to ring regarding their ability to do that. It was a uniquie and enthralling game and from a Saracens' perspective various individuals were carrying knocks at the time... not excuses just facts. 

Will Saracens be ‘found out’ this season as other clubs have studied them even more and can predict their game? Well in all honesty I think not because as a squad Saracens won't be resting on their laurels nor the players at the heart of their output, the likes of Jamie George, the Vunipolas, Owen Farrell and co. Instead progressions will be made and new dynamics introduced. Of course the re-integration of their British & Irish Lions will be an interesting area to watch because notoriously the season after a Lions tour is tough for those coming back. Mark McCall must handle players individually and correctly in order to ensure that they are able to give their all on what could be a challenging season both mentally and physically after New Zealand, 

Unique to Saracens’ is the fact that their first home game isn’t until Round 4 however we all know that playing on the road doesn’t phase the 2016 Premiership champions in the slightest. As a squad they'll enjoy Twickenham Stadium, The Rec and the Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia before heading back to Allianz Park and I wouldn't be surprised to see them leading the way at the top of the Premiership table after the opening six rounds. 

Opening Six Matches: Northampton Saints (Twickenham Stadium), Bath (A), Newcastle Falcons (Philadelphia), Sale Sharks (H), Worcester Warriors (A) and Wasps (H). 

Champions Cup Group: ASM Clermont Auvergne, Saracens, Ospreys and Northampton Saints.

Key Player: Brad Barritt. The steel, hunger and focus of this squad is driven by their captain. He is a constant calming presence and will be the man to bind them togehter when their internatioanls leave for large chunks of the domestic season.