2016-17 Spotlight On Bath Rugby

Bath Rugby are currently the enigmas of Premiership Rugby and will remain so until the opening few rounds of the competition have been played. At this moment in time the rest of the league don’t know quite what to expect from the West Country side - will they arrive back in force or will they take a while to find their feet?

We all know that last season didn’t pan out as planned but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Bath have a squad of players with the potential to make big waves in this competition and they do have solid foundations that were laid by Mike Ford over the last few years. A few people spent the summer berating the club about the fact that they didn’t have a new management structure in place and of course if Todd Blackadder and Tabai Mason had been able to arrive sooner then it would have been beneficial. However, it’s not as if Bath were directionless as those taking the reins over the summer months (Darren Edwards, Stuart Hooper and Toby Booth) are experienced individuals - to put it into perspective this was Toby Booth’s 15th pre-season.

Todd Blackadder has only been in the UK for a short amount of time but he’s done his homework having watched every single match that Bath have played for the last two seasons. Not only did he do that to provide himself with a feel for the side that he’s now in charge of but it was also done to get a current grasp of the Aviva Premiership as a competition. He's an experienced coach and from his words so far it doesn't sound like he's going to try and force a Super Rugby template or model on the Premiership side. Instead his desired game plan for Bath makes for very similar to reading to that, that they were previously working towards. The premise is that Bath need to adapt to the conditions presented to them but also play heads up rugby and have the courage of their own convictions to take the opportunities that present themselves.

There aren’t too many new entrants at Farleigh House but the big three that are arriving are exactly what the club needs in their respective areas of the field. Taulupe Faletau immediately puts any side on the front foot, Luke Charteris will own the skies and work brilliantly with Dave Atwood and Kahn Fotuali’i will provide George Ford with the type of good quality ball that the fly-half needs as well as having his own pace and dynamism in spades. Clearly next on the shopping list must be someone else to help Dan Bowden in the centres because they are far too light there. Equally they might do well to add another fly-half to their roster. Adam Hastings is certainly a talent but having another individual with a little more experience to call on during the International windows would be useful. 

In my opinion Bath Rugby won’t have the type of challenging season that some are predicting for them. Their pre-season has been a productive one and I personally believe that they’ll be hell bent on moving back up the table, securing Champions Cup rugby and reminding the rest of the competition what they're made of.

Opening Six Matches: Northampton Saints (A), Newcastle Falcons (H), Worcester Warriors (H), Leicester Tigers (A), Gloucester Rugby (A), Sale Sharks (H). 

Key Focus: Delivering a confident start, generating a platform to build off and making the most of their new high quality signings. 

In: Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby), Michael van Vuuren (Leicester Tigers), Harry Davies (Cardiff Blues), Kahn Fotuali’i (Northampton Saints), Jack Walker (Yorkshire Carnegie)

Out: Will Spencer (Worcester Warriors), Ollie Devoto (Exeter Chiefs), Rob Webber (Sale Sharks), Jonathan Evans (Scarlets), Luke Arscott (Bristol Rugby), Max Northcote-Green (London Irish), Brett Herron (Ulster), Stuart Hooper (retired), Dominic Day (Toyota Verblitz), Amanaki Mafi, Tom Woolstencroft (Wasps), Leroy Houston (Queensland Reds), Horacio Agulla (Castres Olympique) Kyle Eastmond (Wasps), Alafoti Fa’osiliva (Worcester Warriors)

2016-17 Spotlight On Harlequins

Finishing the season without a Champions Cup place and without any form of silverware wasn’t part of Harlequins’ 2015-16 plan. It stung the club that they couldn’t provide a fitting finale for Conor O’Shea and completed another frustrating season in which they didn’t achieve the heights that they believe that they should. However that’s done and dusted now and there’s no point in dwelling on their disappointment. Instead it’s time to look forwards with a new coaching set up and focus on ensuring that their 150th season is one to remember. 

Of course we’re all eager to see how Harlequins’ coaching structure develops and the nuances that each individual brings. Of the appointments I believe that Graham Rowntree’s will be the most influential. England’s former forwards’ coach has so much experience to draw upon and I believe that he’ll help Harlequins find that physical edge that he always demands from his charges. As a full squad of forwards, not just those that are first choice, Harlequins need to toughen up a bit and become a spot more streetwise and their new coach is the perfect man to help achieve that. That in turn should provide the platform required for their evasive and sparky backs to work from. 

There’s absolutely no hiding away from the fact that last season the extended period without their International players really hurt Harlequins. The International windows saw them shorn of key leaders in every single part of the field from full back to the front row and it derailed them. The question that still remains is how are they going to better handle these periods this season? Grant it the presence of the Anglo-Welsh Cup will ease the issue slightly but they’ll still need to manage without that experience at key times. In short Harlequins’ squad members have to step up and take charge. Last season the foundations were often in place during these matches but the side couldn’t navigate successfully through to the final whistle. That simply cannot happen again or they’ll find themselves in a similar position in the table to the 2015-16 season. 

All of that said, like every single one of our Aviva Premiership clubs, Harlequins’ sole focus is on Round 1 and the short walk over the road to face Bristol. It’s a match with plenty riding on it for both sides; Bristol want to showcase that they belong in the Premiership from day one while Harlequins want their years of experience and Internationals to take charge. On paper Harlequins should start with a victory and nothing less will be expected by John Kingston but as Worcester showed last season anything can happen on the opening day. 

After a number of seasons without silverware, or being in the play-off mix, there’s a great desire and hunger to deliver at Harlequins. The fact it’s their 150th season adds a greater spotlight on the club and now is the time for them to showcase their worth as a squad and embrace the fresh ideas and purpose that their new coaching structure should deliver. 

Opening Six Matches: Bristol (LDH), Sale (A), Exeter (A), Saracens (H), Wasps (A), Northampton Saints (H).

Key Focus: Full squad development and managing the International windows well in order to put themselves in a favourable position come the latter rounds. 

In: Cameron Holenstein (Pau) Aaron Morris (Saracens), Charlie Mulchrone (Worcester Warriors), Mark Reddish (Highlanders) Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps), George Naoupu (Connacht), Gabriel Ibitoye, Dino Lamb-Cona, Jonas Mikalcius, Niall Saunders

Out: Beau Robinson (unattached), Ben Botica (Montpellier), Kieran Treadwell (Ulster), Luke White (unattached), Mofe Wilkey (unattached), Sam Egerton (Newcastle Falcons), Tito Tebaldi (Treviso), Nick Easter (Harlequins’ Defence Coach)

2016-17 Spotlight On Sale Sharks

By all accounts Sale Sharks’ 2015-16 season was a successful one with 10 out of 11 Premiership home victories, a sixth place finish and Champions Cup rugby secured. The question now is can they emulate, or better, that success in the 2016-17 season?

It’s been a busy summer for all at the Sharks as they’ve gained new ownership, signed multiple long-term contract extensions and put pen to paper on the largest sponsorship deal in the history of the club. All three of these factors should have combined nicely to ensure that there’s plenty of energy buzzing around Carrington and that supporters are feeling optimistic about the club’s future. 

Last season Sale went quietly about their Premiership business, they focused on themselves and accumulated their points without making a big fuss. At times the Sharks flew slightly under the radar and that suited them just fine. Again this season they won’t be seen by all of their competitors as major title contenders but if the rest of the table aren’t careful then Steve Diamond's side could catch them unawares. In short, it would be foolish to underestimate Sale, even with a few key personnel changes in their ranks.

Of course there’s one area that we’ll all be keeping a close eye on and that’s the changing of the guard at 10. Last season Danny Cipriani orchestrated proceedings with ease and sprinkled his stardust on matches week in and week out. Now there will be a different style of 10 taking the reins as, in Steve Diamond’s words, AJ MacGinty plays with a spot more ‘structure’ than Danny did. Their DOR believes that this should suit the forward pack that they’ve assembled and still allow them to flourish. As always the proof will be in the pudding and personally I’m looking forward to seeing how the former Connacht man adapts to Premiership life. Also while we're talking about signings then let’s not forget the introduction of Josh Charnley. Obviously the Wigan flyer won't arrive until the Super League season has finished but he's been in sterling finishing form of late in league and if he grasps the finer points of union quickly then he could be a prized asset. 

Sale Sharks’ eyes are facing firmly up the table and to achieve their ambitions they’ll need to ensure that their whole squad presses on and uses the experience that they gained last season at the club or on International Saxons duties. Equally they need to contend with fighting on two fronts with the presence of the Champions Cup. Toulon, Saracens and Scarlets are a different kettle of fish to the likes of Pau that they faced in the Challenge Cup last season and the last time that Sale were in Europe's top flight it stretched them too much. So in the 2016-17 season they have to hope that the full squad stays fit and balance the demands of the season in it's entirety to ensure their domestic campaign isn't hindered by the presence of Champions Cup rugby. 

An opening trip to Newcastle Falcons awaits on Friday night and in the early September sunshine (hoped for not necessarily expected) I’d like to see Sale make their intentions clear. They have a back line packed with line breaking abilities and one that should fly on the artificial turf at Kingston Park. This season has the potential to be another productive one for Sale but with the demands of two competitions and their peers around them improving I believe that maintaining Champions Cup rugby should be their minimum requirement. Once that's in the bag then anything beyond can be an added bonus. 

Opening Six Fixtures: Newcastle Falcons (A), Harlequins (H), Gloucester (H), Worcester (A), Leicester Tigers (H), Bath Rugby (A).

Key Focus: Continuing to surprise those around them and maintaining their hugely impressive home form. Both of these elements should put them on track for another productive season. 

In: Laurence Pearce (Leicester Tigers), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Josh Charnley (Wigan Warriors RL), AJ MacGinty (Connacht), Dan Mugford (Nottingham), Kieran Longbottom (Saracens), Paolo Odogwu (Leicester Tigers), Mike Phillips (Racing 92), Halani Aulika (London Irish), Lou Reed (Cardiff Blues), Byron McGuigan (Exeter Chiefs), Curtis Langdon (London Irish)

Out: Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Tommy Taylor (Wasps), Joe Ford (Yorkshire Carnegie), Vadim Cobilas (Bordeaux Begles), Chris Cusiter (retired), Tom Brady (Leicester Tigers), Viliami Fihaki (Edinburgh), Mark Easter (Retired), Nick Macleod (Newport Gwent Dragons), Phil Mackenzie (San Diego Breakers).

2016-17 Spotlight On Northampton Saints

It’s fair to say that, as a club, Northampton Saints didn’t really enjoy the 2015-16 domestic season. They felt the disruption caused by the Rugby World Cup, missed key players due to injuries and had to scrap to ensure that they cemented Champions Cup rugby. This time around they’re determined that it will be a much more enjoyable experience.

At the recent Premiership Launch both Jim Mallinder and Tom Wood articulated a steely determination that they will return back into the top four, where they believe that the club belongs. As well as using pre-season to refine their output on the field Saints have focused on bringing the club back together. With the relentless season last time out, the staggered arrival of their players due to the RWC and numerous injuries to key personalities Tom Wood admitted that the environment 'lacked the cohesion and togetherness' that it should have had. This summer, in his words, they've 'spent a lot of time together to get the buzz and feel good factor back and have talked about earning each other's respect in training'. They have invested in the club, in their relationships as team mates and it's designed to ensure that they're as tight as possible leading into the 2016-17 season.  

There are some that berate focusing on culture, but a rugby club is like any working environment, it needs the environment around the work place to be optimal in order to flourish. With these comments their new club captain wasn’t hammering his side or being disloyal in any way instead he was simply being honest about what was a challenging season. Now, after a productive pre-season with the whole club together and some real investment in the Saints he believes that they are in a stronger place. 

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If we look towards Saints’ output on the field then personally I’m intrigued to see how they develop. Last season they struggled in attack and as we all expected acutely missed the presence of Samu Manoa. Now that Louis Picamoles has entered the ranks that ball carrying void should be filled as well as the highly experienced Frenchman providing his side with a big dollop of confidence. Saints need that ball carrying platform and physicality to thrive off, it’s what they did so well during the 2014-15 season, and once that's in place then the likes of the Pisi brothers and George North (when fit) can use their talent to exploit the gaps. 

As mentioned Tom Wood was open and honest about his expectations for the 2016-17 season saying that ‘anything less than the Top 4 would be considered a failure really and an underachievement’. With the competition building year on year he knows that, that statement is a bold one but that's their goal. Last season there were key players at Northampton Saints that we hardly saw in the Aviva Premiership; Calum Clark and Dylan Hartley being two of them. But, with Calum Clark back in full training, Dylan Hartley back at the top of his game and others in their ranks with plenty to prove domestically to push themselves Internationally (Kieran Brookes, Teimana Harrison and Luther Burrell for example) that should drive their output. 

In my opinion if Saints want to make their Top 4 goal a reality then we need to see a marked improvement in their attacking output, constant physicality and across the board squad members stepping up and delivering. 

Opening Six Matches: Bath (H), Bristol (A), Saracens (A), Wasps (H), Chiefs (H), Harlequins (A)

Key Focus: Ensuring that they make the most of their strong forward pack's physicality and then find sharpness and creativity in attack. 

In: Matt Beesley (prop, Wharfedale), Charlie Clare (hooker, Bedford Blues), Nic Groom (scrum-half, Western Province), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Juan Pablo Estelles (Atletico del Rosario)

Out: Alex Corbisiero (prop, sabbatical), Jon Fisher (back row, Bristol), Kahn Fotuali’I (scrum-half, Bath), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (prop, London Irish), Pat Howard (centre, Newport Gwent Dragons), Victor Matfield (lock, retired), Matti Williams (hooker, Worcester), Alex Woolford (lock, released).

2016-17 Spotlight On Wasps

It’s not just Wasps' fans that are looking forward to seeing how their side attack the forthcoming Premiership Rugby season, I think that it’s fair to say that all followers of the competition are intrigued to see how Dai Young’s side perform. 

Wasps’ new entrants, particularly those in the back line, have turned heads and now provide their Director of Rugby with a great number of options and firepower. When he has a fully fit and operational squad the Welshman should have plenty of positive selection headaches and his experience will need to come to the fore. The depth of talent how housed within this squad should create fantastic competitive rivalries which I expect to drive the squad’s output. For example Danny Cipriani knows that he cannot just walk into the 10 jersey because Jimmy Gopperth led the ship with such assurance and clarity last season. Joe Simpson is fit and firing but Dan Robson excelled in his absence last season and Kurtley Beale will push whomever he's pitched up against depending on where Dai Young choses to deploy him. All of this rivalry will keep squad members on their toes and adhere to Eddie Jones' philosophy which says that when players are 'uncomfortable' we see them produce their best form. 

Last season when Wasps are truly on it their attacking rugby was a joy to watch, take their home Champions Cup match against Toulon or their away trip to Allianz Park and that 8 try victory. They also managed to avoid their prior season's late slump and pushed all the way until their semi-final against Exeter Chiefs. Once again they'll need to emulate this consistency of output and ensure that they fire on the road and don't experience the travel sickness that they'd previously encountered. 

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It's not all about Wasps' backs though because their pack is one that will be more than capable of mixing it with the best of them. Personally I'm excited to see how Tommy Taylor develops within their dynamic game plan and club captain Joe Launchbury will always by example with his outstanding athleticism. There’s no doubt that George Smith’s absence will leave a void, both on and off the field, but with the knowledge that he imparted during his time there I expect the likes of Thomas Young and Guy Thompson to step up in the back row especially while James Haskell is injured. There's also the ever present, and brilliant, Nathan Hughes to consider. The Number 8 now has an England jersey to drive for so I’m expecting him to fire out of the blocks from Round 1 and make Eddie Jones sit up a take note. 

It’s a short and sweet Wasps’ assessment ahead of the 2016-17 season because essentially they’ve recruited extremely well and have added to an already strong squad. The fact that the whole club is now settled in the Midlands, having made the move up from Acton, should add more stability. Needless to say I’m expecting big things to be showcased at the Ricoh Arena and on the road this season from Dai Young’s squad. 

Opening Six Games: Exeter (H), Leicester Tigers (A), Bristol (H), Northampton (A), Harlequins (H), Saracens (A)

Key Focus: Settling together quickly, the big names have arrived to a squad that's already packed with talent and it will be ensuring that they all gel together and are singing off the same hymn sheet quickly. 

Ins: Guy Armitage (London Welsh), Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Tom Cruse (London Irish), Nick De Luca (Biarritz Olympique), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Marcus Garratt (Cornish Pirates), Craig Hampson (Bristol Rugby), Willie Le Roux (Canon Eagles, Arrives in January), Marty Moore (Leinster Rugby), Matt Symons (London Irish), Tommy Taylor (Sale Sharks), Tom Woolstencroft (Bath Rugby)

Outs: Lorenzo Cittadini (Bayonne), Bradley Davies (Ospreys), James Downey (retired), Carlo Festuccia (Zebre), Ruaridh Jackson (Harlequins), Ben Jacobs (retired), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Andrea Masi (retired), Charles Piutau (Ulster), Siale Piutau (Yamaha Jubilo), Edd Shervington (retired), George Smith (Suntory Sungoliath & Queensland Reds), Jamie Stevenson (London Scottish).

2016-17 Spotlight On Leicester Tigers

It’s fair to say that last season at Welford Road was much smoother than the one prior. From early on we saw the impact that Aaron Mauger was having on their output and as he coupled his fresh ideas with the strengths of Richard Cockerill the Premiership club made strides in the right direction. This season it will be all about building on that platform and doing so with a squad that’s tight. 

Following the denouement of last season Richard Cockerill took the opportunity to review his squad and in his words ‘make sure that everyone in the squad was someone that you’d want to pick in the first team squad’. As a result their list of departures is fairly sizeable and they will be running off a smaller base of players. Let’s be clear this isn’t because they’re trying to be martyrs and deliver using fewer players than those around them, it is simply about having the right people as part of their environment. 

Last season a number of Leicester’s new signings surprised the competition with their positive impact as the likes of Telusa Veianu, Peter Betham and Lachlan McCaffery made names for themselves. The exciting thing is that there's much more to come from this relatively new group and that's because some didn't get the game time they wanted, like Brendon O'Connor, and others will continue to flourish with a season of Premiership experience in the bank. 

This time around many of Leicester's new entrants, JP Pietersen, Luke Hamilton, Tom Brady, Ellis Genge and Matt Toomua as examples, are already known so shouldn't catch the competition unawares. The latter is considered by his Director of Rugby to be one of their most important signings. The rationale regarding that statement is the fact that he is designed to fill the role that Anthony Allen left vacant when he was forced to retire from the game. Anthony was the glue that gelled their back line together, he was their unsung hero and with the Australian's experience and skill set he's set to perform from day one and bind everything together. 

On paper Leicester’s opening fixtures are not horrendous, compared with a few others, and they should be aiming to finish that maiden block of six in the upper echelons of the table. Pre-season must have been productive as their DOR has said that he's 'pretty pleased' with it and we all know that in Richard Cockerill doesn't give compliments out easily. Neither him nor Aaron will have taken any prisoners and the additional contact time with the Kiwi should have continued to mould and refine the club's attacking strategy. 

Leicester didn't constantly hit their straps last season and things did go a little topsy turvy under intense pressure, I'm thinking about their Champions Cup semi-final against Racing 92 as an example. So, constant high output will be their aim and of course ensuring that Manu Tuilagi is fit enough to play a big role for the duration of the 2016-17 season.

Opening Six Matches: Gloucester (A), Wasps (H), Newcastle Falcons (A), Bath (H), Sale Sharks (A), Worcester Warriors (H)

Key Focus: Adding more layers onto their ‘new’ strategy and philosophy while retaining the heart of the Tigers' historic strengths.  

Ins: Tom Brady (Sale Sharks), Pat Cilliers (Montpellier), Ellis Genge (Bristol Rugby), George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons), JP Pietersen (Stormers), Matt Toomua (Brumbies)

Outs: Matias Aguero (Provence Rugby), Seremaia Bai (retired), Tommy Bell (London Irish), Miles Benjamin (retired), Gonzalo Camacho, Jordan Crane (Bristol Rugby), Sebastian de Chaves (London Irish), Jean de Villiers (retired), Jake Farnworth, Leonardo Ghiraldini (Toulouse), Vereniki Goneva (Newcastle Falcons), Christian Loamanu (Provence Rugby), Niall Morris (Leinster Rugby), Tiziano Pasquali (Benetton Treviso), Laurence Pearce (Sale Sharks), Aniseko Sio, George Tresidder (Rotherham Titans), Michael van Vuuren (Bath Rugby), Jake Farnworth (Birmingham Moseley), Opeti Fonua (Newcastle Falcons)

2016-17 Spotlight On Exeter Chiefs

Last season it was a pleasure to watch Exeter Chiefs progress all the way to the final day of the domestic season. Yes they fell short at the last hurdle but throughout their campaign they delighted us with their all around game. The Chiefs pressed on from the season before and their focus ahead of the 2016-17 season is to maintain their fundamentals, improve and deliver once again. 

Rob Baxter is an astute man and leader and he knows that a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction to their Premiership final loss wouldn’t help the club at all. At the recent Aviva Premiership launch he talked about ensuring that Exeter didn’t have an ‘under or over reaction’ to that final 80 minutes of the 2015-16 season. The Chiefs were outplayed for the opening-half and looked like rabbits in headlights, but they hadn’t been in that situation before and were playing against a much more experienced outfit. But, their ability to rectify the situation on the job was a credit to the playing group and staff and should be noted. Of course they’ll be frustrations from that match but they should have been left back in the immediate aftermath of the game. Now, their Director of Rugby’s focus is very clear and that's to ensure that they're fully focused on the ‘foundation elements’ of what the Chiefs do and what makes them strong. Once they have been re-cemented he simply wants to ‘build that house a little bit higher’ in order to take the next steps. 

As a squad Exeter, like their fellow Premiership finalists Saracens, are settled in terms of  their personnel on and off the field. The Chiefs have recruited lightly and instead will be looking to their core group to take the season by the scruff of its neck. All of the firepower and elements that made them great last season; an unstoppable driving maul, their fluidity in attack and their strong set piece should be present again. Ollie Devoto’s entrance provides plenty and allows Rob Baxter with some fantastic options to play about with at 10, 12 and 13. The former Bath man's presence will create competition day in, and day out, with his team mates and his personal desire will be to gain plenty of game time and maintain a positive position in the eyes of England selection team. 

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Exeter’s opening six games aren’t for the feint-hearted (see below) and they start with a rematch of last season’s Premiership semi-final and European quarter-final. Matches between Wasps and Exeter rarely do the blood pressure of their respective Directors of Rugby or fans any good but for the neutral they exhilarating. Rob Baxter is clear about their approach for the season and it matches last. His side have to make sure that they deliver consistent output, make Sandy Park their fortress and win every single one of the matches that they are expected to win. It’s that that type of consistency allows teams to pick up the points required to put them in the right place in the table and then add on top of that the big scalps.

This pre-season at Exeter Chiefs has been a focused one to ensure that as a squad they are all acutely aware of their roles and that the club's core values are firmly in place. Sensibilty the Chiefs aren't reinventing the wheel just because they didn’t quite find enough in the Premiership Final, instead they’re ready to build and develop again with another season of experience under their belt.

Opening Six Matches: Wasps (A), Saracens (H), Harlequins (H), Bristol (A), Northampton Saints (A), Gloucester (H)

Key Focus: Navigating past a difficult start to the season and focusing on what makes Exeter Chiefs a successful and dominant Premiership side.

Ones To Watch: Can Thomas Waldrom make it three seasons in a row as the competition’s top try scorer? Looking forward to seeing him have a go! Also key an eye on the midfield combinations as mentioned and how Henry Slade evolves again this season. 

In: Dave Dennis (Waratahs), Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby), Greg Holmes (Queensland Reds)

Out: Jack Arnott (Cornish Pirates), Chrysander Botha (Released), Alex Brown (Perpignan), Adam Hughes (Dragons), Josh Jones (Salford Reds), Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks), Jerry Sexton (London Irish), Lewis Stevenson (Connacht), Brett Sturgess (Retired), Jake Woolmore (Jersey).

2016-17 Spotlight On Saracens

At this point last season we were all pondering on one question; would Saracens press on from their impressive season and continue on an upward trajectory? Needless to say they did so in style and I would bet my mortgage (if I had one) on them doing the same this time around. Saracens are the most confident side in Europe and they have another season's worth of experience under their belts. So, in my eyes there’s absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t continue to lead the way during the 2016-17 Premiership term.

Mark McCall’s side is a settled and successful one and only a few individuals have left the club since the end of last season. It has been the case for a few years now that departures from Saracens are largely due to retirements and not a result of a whole host of individuals deciding to ply their trades elsewhere. It goes without saying that their three most notable departures, Charlie Hodgson, Ernst Joubert and Jacques Burger, will be missed. But, it is with respect to the trio when I also state that Saracens should be able to cope, and thrive, without them.  

Of Saracens’ new entrants there are a couple that have to be mentioned when looking ahead towards the forthcoming season. Number one - Schalk Burger.  The introduction of Schalk is designed to replace both Ernst Joubert and Jacques Burger and to provide the younger members of Saracens’ squad a mentor of great distinction. The South African’s experience will add to an already power charged back row and motivate all around him to better their games. I’m sure that with 86 Springbok caps Schalk has a number of tricks of the trade that he can share with the already impressive Billy Vunipola and we’ll see the latter’s upward trajectory continue. 

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Another that I believe has the opportunity to thrive at Saracens is Alex Lozowski. The 23-year-old is an extremely talented fly-half but he wasn't given enough game time at Wasps to showcase this. Owen Farrell’s slight injury means that the new 10 will be able to exhibit his skills from the off and, when the England international returns, will gain valuable insights from his more experienced colleague. On the times that I’ve seen Alex take to the stage he’s shown the type of game management, vision and hands that remind me very much of George Ford and has the time on the ball that Henry Slade also enjoys. Saracens should be a tremendous platform for him to fly off and I'm am expecting big things from their new fly-half. One final point regarding Saracens' signings is to make sure that you keep an eye out for Savenaca Rawaca. He’s arriving from Ben Ryan’s indomable Fiji Sevens set up and could turn more than just a few heads in attack. He's a powerful ball carrier with pace to burn and has simply delightful Fijian handling skills. 

For the whole of last season, both in the Premiership and Europe, Saracens blew us away with their almost intrinsic collective knowledge of their own game plan and consistent first-class execution. They strangulated teams, took their game to a new level in attack and blew European rugby out of the park. Prior to last season the ‘boring’ card was regularly laid at their door but in my opinion anyone that tries to pull that one out now isn’t watching properly. 

Even with various International periods to contend with I cannot fathom why, come Round 22, Saracens won't be vying for a place at Twickenham Stadium on 27th May.  It’s a positive and driven culture and packed with players that will be desperate to emulate the success that they achieved last season.

Key Focus: More of the same. At the end of last season Saracens had the full package; brutal defence that turned into impressive attack and in the 2016-17 season they’ll endeavour to take their game plan to the next level from the word go. 

Ones To Watch: Keep an eye on the development of Maro Itoje’s and George Kruis’ partnership. Both should be eyeing Lions spots and the road to New Zealand starts continued with outstanding domestic performances. 

Ins: Schalk Burger (Stormers), Mark Flanagan (Bedford Blues), Alex Lozowski (Wasps), Vincent Koch (Stormers), Sean Maitland (London Irish), Savenaca Rawaca (Fiji 7s)

Outs: Biyi Alo (to Worcester Warriors), Jacques Burger (retired), Catalin Fercu (to Timisoara Saracens), Rhys Gill (to Cardiff Blues), Charlie Hodgson (retired), Ernst Joubert (retired), Baden Kerr (released), Kieran Longbottom (to Sale Sharks), Nils Mordt (retired), Aaron Morris (to Harlequins) Dave Porecki (to London Irish), Hayden Smith (Esher), Ben Ransom (to London Irish), Max Wilkins (released).

Pre-Season Musings - Premiership 2016-17

It's almost time for normal life to resume and the Aviva Premiership season to return. As much as I enjoy seeing a spot of sunshine during July and August, life just doesn't feel complete without the presence of the domestic rugby season. 

From hereon in coverage from Out On The Full will be ramping back up with plenty more articles before that all important Round 1 preview. This season they’ll be some new features, more player and coach interviews as well as adding extra audio and video posts, so keep an eye out for them all.

Ahead of Round 1 I’ll be taking a look at each club individually and reviewing some of the key movements and signings. But first I wanted to share a few thoughts that have been forming in my mind over recent weeks. Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of musings ahead of the 2016-17 season, because we’d be here until Round 5 if it was, but these are a few starters for 10!

Saracens - will they press on again?

In the 2015-16 season Saracens dominated, both domestically and on the European stage, and the question that we are all pondering on now is whether or not they’ll be able to do it  again? 

At this point last year, with the 2015 Premiership title in the bag, we weren’t sure how they’d react ahead of a new season. Would they embrace the pressure on them or would they find it a burden? The answer was emphatically the former and twelve months on I sit here firmly convinced that Saracens are poised and ready to lead the Premiership charge again. 

Why? Well, because success breeds success and as a squad they’re settled but importantly not complacent. They’ve a burning desire to continue to be England’s and Europe’s best and they know what it takes to win on the big stages. Of course the rest of the league all know Saracens’ game plan and yet they find it just as challenging to break down today as they did a year ago. Obviously Mark McCall will need his players to continue to develop and with the likes of Owen Farrell, Alex Goode and the Vunipola brothers all needing to fly to maintain or promote their International places there’s no chance of them standing still. 

Now, before a whistle has been blown, I anticipate that in the 2016-17 season it will be a case of other clubs having to raise their game in order to try and thwart Saracens’ progress. As we’ve seen on numerous occasions, you cannot beat Saracens at their own game, instead you have to out fox them and attack with clarity and purpose. There are clubs that are capable of doing that but I do expect the reigning champions to continue to lead the way. 

Bristol - can they make the leap from Championship to Premiership?

As intense as the Championship play-offs were there’s no hiding away from the fact that the Premiership is an altogether different beast. Of course a difference is expected just like the incremental steps between Premiership, European and International rugby but that doesn’t make the transition any easier for newly promoted sides.

As we’ve seen over the years the first season back in the top flight competition is a dog fight and tremendously difficult, made much more so by the late finishing of the play-offs. The other major challenge is the difference in physicality between the two competitions and this is a challenge that Bristol need to confront. Andy Robinson has recruited some individuals to immediately help raise his side’s physical intent; Jordan Crane, Soane Tonga’uiha and Jon Fisher being just three. But, he needs his Championship players to step up too. Newly appointed club captain Jack Lam is one that should fly on the Premiership stage but as I’ve said it will be a squad effort to ensure that they raise their game to the intended levels. 

Alongside this Bristol need to find their Premiership feet and confidence early. Andy Robinson’s side need to have the right mindsets and believe wholeheartedly that they’re have the ability to beat the ‘big dogs’. Last season it took Worcester a while to find this and the quicker that Bristol find theirs the better. 

They have a pretty challenging opening six games (Harlequins, Northampton Saints, Wasps, Exeter Chiefs, Saracens and Newcastle Falcons) but they need to set out their stall and platform during those matches. Will it be tough? Oh yes! Will they be able to take some big early scalps? Potentially, but it all depends on them nailing these two key areas; physicality and mindset. 

Bath Rugby - a bounce back? 

Until Bath Rugby get a few games under their belt they will remain one of the Premiership’s enigmas. Will they bounce back in style or will the same challenges in output occur that we witnessed last season? 

There are plenty of unknowns when it comes to the West Country side, will they be challenged by their limited resources in the centres? Will they have re-found the confidence that went missing last season? Alongside all of these unknown questions are a couple of certainties and that is that their squad is packed with outstanding talent and that it is one that’s working off a solid vision developed by Mike Ford during his time in charge. Indeed Toby Booth has already shared with Dan Evans at the Bath Chronicle that seismic shifts in philosophy aren't anticipated by the new management. Instead, evolution and not revolution, is likely to be the name of the game.

With the fairly limited recruitment that Bath have made they have done well and their three big entrants (Faletau, Charteris and Fotuali'i) are poised to have a huge impact in their respective areas of the field. Equally every player in the squad knows that their position is up for grabs and that historical performances could have little influence on the here and now. 

For Bath a positive start to the season is absolutely vital but that isn't going to be a walk in the park as they're meeting their ‘bogey’ team, Northampton Saints, in Round 1. It's been 16 years since they’ve won at Franklin’s Gardens, but if there ever was a time to turn that record around it’s now. There's plenty to prove at Bath Rugby and there's certainly the potential to have a positive 22 rounds. 

Wasps - a big season ahead? 

If you look at all of the Premiership clubs’ recruitment then one in particular catches your eye… Wasps. 

During the season ahead Dai Young will have Kyle Eastmond, Danny Cipriani, Kurtley Beale and Willie le Roux at his back line disposal alongside Jimmy Gopperth, Christian Wade, Elliot Daly, Dan Robson, Joe Simpson and co. Whichever way that you choose to cut it, on paper it’s a formidable back line, and one that could punch holds through the sturdiest of Premiership and European defences. 

As we all know a back line can only thrive if they’ve get front foot ball to work from and are part of a team that dominates the collisions. Even with James Haskell out for a number of months and George Smith having departed the club this shouldn’t be a problem for Wasps. Why? That's because members of their squad like Thomas Young, Matt Mullan, Guy Thompson, Nathan Hughes and Joe Launchbury all have the ammunition to make this happen. 

This season has the potential to be a stormer for Wasps if their combinations gel quickly and if Dai Young manages selection astutely. As we can all see Wasps’ Director of Rugby is likely to have plenty of choices to make and I expect to see his experience come to the fore with regard to selecting the appropriate combinations and managing his squad in the right way. If Wasps click then there’s absolutely no doubt about the fact that opportunity knocks for them, both domestically and in Europe.