Round 2 - Opta Rugby Rankings

Once again it’s time to take look through the Opta Rugby Rankings from the weekend’s Premiership action. While the round didn’t quite reach the try scoring heights of the opening weekend it did deliver us with some enthralling rugby... Friday night largely excluded from that statement! 

The top metre makers all had huge influences on their sides’ respective outings with Alex Goode topping the standings ahead of Semesa Rokoduguni and Tom Collins. At The Recreation Ground Saracens' full-back made 190 metres, beat ten defenders and made 18 carries. As Eddie Jones prepares to name his training squad for a camp in Oxford followed by his squad for the Old Mutual Wealth Series I expect that the calls for the 29-year-old’s inclusion to grow once again. Of course Mike Brown is still performing well for Harlequins and Anthony Watson is also showing just how effective he can be with 15 on his back. In short competition is as strong as ever which will push all the greater heights on the field and at the end of the day we all know that it's the head coach's call.   

Elsewhere Luke Hamilton and Sione Kalamafoni made 42 tackles between them at Franklin’s Gardens while Calum Green and Mark Wilson were highly industrious on that wet Friday night in Salford. When it comes to totting up the tackles made in Rounds 1 and 2 then Lewis Ludlow actually tops the charts with 40. He’s followed by Sione Kalamafoni on 33 and behind the Leicester No. 8 four players have each made 31 tackles over two rounds; Mike Coman, Maro Itoje, Will Welch and Sam Simmonds. 

Switching back to the statistics going forward then it would be remiss of me to finish this analysis without going back and focusing specifically on Semesa Rokoduguni and Tom Collins. On Saturday afternoon the Fijian pushed what I like to call the ‘Roko button’ on and showed his sensational prowess going forward to secure victory for Bath. He leads the way in terms of metres made this season with 249 and has beaten eight defenders thus far. Meanwhile back at Franklin’s Gardens Tom Collins continued his own electric start to the season. It was tough to shine in Round 1 but he did and as the side upped their physicality it gave the winger even more opportunities to work with in Round 2. After such a difficult time with injuries it’s great to see him thriving and tearing up the field again. He's beaten 11 defenders over the course of the two matches and has notched up a cool 186 metres. 

Tackles Made

Luke Hamilton - 21

Sione Kalamafoni - 21

Calum Green - 17

Mark Wilson - 17

Tom Dunn & Dom Barrow - 16

Carries

Schalk Brits - 19

Alex Goode - 18

Tom Collins - 17

Mike Brown - 17

Courtney Lawes & Jackson Wray - 16

Metres Made

Alex Goode - 190

Semesa Rokoduguni - 156

Tom Collins - 127

Olly Woodburn - 127

James Marshall - 111

Defenders Beaten

Alex Goode - 10

Anthony Watson - 7

Jack Nowell - 7

Marland Yarde - 7

Byron McGuigan & Ellis Genge - 6

Karl Dickson - The Next Chapter

On 2nd September at the Athletic Ground former Harlequins’ scrum-half Karl Dickson took charge of his first game as a professional referee when London Scottish faced Yorkshire Carnegie. Just three months prior he played his last game for Harlequins at the World Clubs 10s in Mauritius however the road to the next chapter in his rugby career started well before that. 

Three years ago his former team mate Will Skinner mentioned that he was going to take look at refereeing and the idea also appealed to the man who finished his club career with 167 appearances for the Harlequins. Following a quick phone call, the then Premiership scrum-half put the wheels in motion to sort his refereeing course out and officiated his first game on a Sunday afternoon for a group of U16s. Sitting with Wayne Barnes yesterday in Twickenham Stadium Karl recalled that there were a few shocked looks on the players' faces when he arrived up for that first game however he quickly reminded the lads not to worry about him and to get on with their rugby! They did and from there his career with a whistle in hand started. 

(C) London Irish

Juggling the demands of professional rugby while developing as a referee wasn’t easy and like others such as Ugo Monye and Nick Kennedy he could have carried on playing for another season or so but the opportunity to pursue life as a professional referee was simply ‘too good to pass up’. The final years of his rugby career often included playing and officiating in the same weekend and he believes that he changed ‘massively’ as a player once he’d picked up the whistle and was in the early stages of learning his trade as a referee. While he did continue to be his usual vocal self, after all that’s part of the scrum-half job description, as you'd expect he found a new level of respect for those that were taking charge of his matches.

One of the interesting elements that Karl spoke about at Twickenham Stadium was the fitness element to his transition. For him one of the biggest eye openers when moving into his new career was just how fit referees are;

(C) Paler Images

“As a player on average I covered about seven or seven and a bit km and as a referee I now reach about 8.5km to 9km per match. The biggest difference [fitness wise] is that as a rugby player you’re doing big weights and you’re running. Whereas as a referee you’re doing weights to prevent injury and then conditioning. 

“The referees are a lot fitter than players, I can tell you that for a fact now. If you took the 14 of us [referees] and put us against a load of the players then the referees are way above them because it’s a different type of fitness. But if you asked the referees to get up and down off the ground, ruck and tackle, it’s totally different. That was kind of my biggest ‘wow’ seeing that they [referees] are so much fitter than we were and I’m trying to get up to speed with these guys.”

It’s a great insight into one element of his transition from playing to officiating because I’m sure that most would have expected him to breeze the fitness element to his new professional role. Instead it’s an area of real focus and development to push himself to the top of the standings when it comes the officials' fitness tests and S&C training that they undertake as a group. 

As mentioned the 35-year-old didn’t just decide yesterday to become a referee instead he’s put in the hours, on and off the field, and is continuing to do so to learn his new craft. Without question the natural drive to succeed that can be found in professional sportspeople will hold him in good stead in this next chapter and he’s well aware of the development that’s needed from this point on;

“It’s like any job that you're in, you’ll start at the bottom, like when I was referring that U16 game for example, and you move up according to how people think that you’re performing. 

“It is the same that this stage, I’m in the Championship now and they’ll move me when they think that I’m ready. Or if I’m not ready then I won’t be moved. It’s performance based and you’ve got ten full time referees all vying for six Premiership games in a weekend or six Championship games. So if you’re up there in the top six then you’ll be refereeing and if you’re not you’ll be doing other things.

“Every ref, I imagine like I do, wants to referee international games. That’s the pinnacle just like every player wants to play international rugby. It’s about the process of how you get up the ladder and some people don’t make it and that’s just the nature of competition.”

(C) Paler Images

Without question it’s great see such a high-profile former Premiership player moving into the world of officiating. At this moment in time there will be a group of current professional players that are considering their next steps after rugby and as a result of Karl’s transition into refereeing I hope that some may consider to follow the same path too. Media and coaching are two clear ways to stay immersed in the world of rugby and perhaps now the world of officiating will push itself into players’ consideration sets given Karl’s move. Of course just because individuals have succeeded on the field as players doesn’t mean that they will automatically be outstanding officials. However having such detailed knowledge of playing the game provides a phenomenal base to work from and if individuals take to it and showcase the specific skills and mindset required then there’s no question our game will be better for more former players following Karl's route.

So what’s next for the game’s newest professional referee? Well this weekend it’s a trip to Jersey to run the line as the Reds host the Cornish Pirates in the Championship. At the time when it was announced that the former Harlequin would join the RFU’s team of professional match officials Tony Spreadbury highlighted him as an ‘exciting prospect’. From here on it’s about Karl building his experience game by game using the support of Tony, his professional referee coach Wayne Barnes and the other match officials around him. With his drive, commitment and trajectory of development thus far the future looks promising, so keep your eyes open because I’m sure that it won’t be too long before you see the words 'Referee: Karl Dickson' at an Aviva Premiership game near you. 

Round 2 Reflections

After the pacy start to the new Premiership Rugby season Round 2 didn't quite hit the try scoring heights of the first weekend however there is still plenty to discuss and it's time to touch on a few talking points.

As we all saw on the BT Sport coverage Eddie Jones and his coaching team were putting in the miles to take a look at various players across the country. Next Friday morning (22 October) he will announce the training squad that he will be taking for a camp in Oxford the week after and his final squad for the Old Mutual Wealth Series will arrive on the morning of Thursday 26 October. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing the mix of players that the Australia chooses for both the training camp and the internationals. Will he rest some of the British & Irish Lions and look at others or will he go all guns blazing? 

For now I'll pause on the England discussion because there will be a whole host of England features and articles coming over the next few weeks but right now here's a few of my reflections from Premiership Rugby Round 2.

It can’t always be pretty….

Friday night’s game at the AJ Bell Stadium is not one that spent very much time in the recorded programmes section of my Sky Box. In fact I deleted it as soon as I got home from my BBC shift and I’m sure that many of you did too. 

Following the 50-try high of Round 1 we were all set for Round 2 to start with a bang and instead we witnessed what I hope will be the worst first half of the season. I say that I hope it will be the worst half because I don’t think that I can take too many more like it!! Now I appreciate that the weather was horrendous and fit for ducks however the half was littered with errors and made you shout at the television for the wrong reasons. 

For Sale fans I imagine that was a frustrating Friday at the AJ Bell Stadium however for Newcastle’s fans I expect that they went home with a smile on their faces even after a game like that. Why? Well because those are the types of matches that good sides slog out and get maximum points from. Not all teams can win every game in a beautiful fashion because sometimes the elements, or injuries, are against you. However the sign of a team’s development is when they rough it out on the road at places like the AJ Bell Stadium. 

Team training in the USA - (C) @FalconsRugby

With the talent housed in Dean Richards’ squad the Falcons' ambition is to get the crowd on their feet and score tries yet having the backbone of being able to ride out match like Friday's will ensure that they are a team pushing for Champions Cup rugby this season. Of course next is a tussle with the back-to-back European champions and they're set to face a Saracens team coming off the back of a loss. Personally I'm interested to see how Newcastle raise their game in the face of such competition and equally which names might make first Premiership appearances on their team-sheet. We all know that DTH Van der Merwe, Toby Flood and Maxime Mermoz are yet feature in the competition and their influence as a trio, and as individuals, is likely to have a hugely positive effect on a team that has already shown a solid base in the first two rounds. 

A Rocking Rec

On Sunday morning The Sunday Times’ Stephen Jones took to social media to comment on the tremendous atmosphere at The Recreation Ground. Now Stephen isn’t one to hand out compliments without a valid reason. He’s a man that I personally have a huge amount of respect for and with years of global experience in the game his praise is hard-earned. The Recreation Ground is one of my favourite Premiership grounds to visit for a number of reasons. For me it's the combination of its picturesque situation, the passion of the fans and the feeling that the club such an integral part of the city. 

On Saturday afternoon The Rec was rocking and rightly so given the mixture of gumption and pizazz that the home side showed their fans. As a collective Bath delivered the hard-edge that they had taken on the road to Leicester and coupled that with a spot of flair. If that wasn't enough the icing on the cake was Semesa Rokoduguni pushing the ‘Roko button’ in the latter stages to secure victory. 

The squad’s Round 1 win on the road was their first in seven Premiership away games and their next trip to Franklin’s Gardens will test their metal again. In the past Northampton had been one of Bath's bogey teams and with injuries still a concern particularly up front they will be seriously tested. Yet what we’ve seen so far out of Farleigh House is a team that’s started with real confidence and one that’s showing serious intent for the season ahead. 

Seven days is a long time in sport

I can’t even being to imagine what Northampton Saints’ changing room was like at half-time at Twickenham Stadium. I can only assume that it was a sea of emotion after a productive pre-season had led to a 38-point deficit after 40 minutes out on the park. 

It was 40 minutes that no player or fan will wish to dwell on too much other than for the former to have used it as fuel to fire their emotions on Saturday. So often we talk about expecting a ‘reaction’ from a team and my goodness me did we see one from Jim Mallinder’s squad in the weekend's East Midlands derby.

Everything that the Saints lacked in Round 1 they showed in spades in Round 2 and none more so than physicality. At Twickenham Stadium they were second best on the gain line and were toyed with by Saracens. Yet at Franklin’s Gardens their key men - Courtney Lawes and Dylan Hartley in particular - set the tone from the off and were unrelenting in their pursuit of victory. As a collective the team bullied their opponents off the park and that took guts. 

Let’s not forget the emotions that the coaching staff will have gone through over the past week too. The pressure on them is clear, Northampton are an ambitious side and one that  hasn't kicked on as they would have liked after winning the Premiership. The Round 1 performance put immediate and intense pressure on all behind the scenes and yet clearly they did the right things in terms of rectify mistakes and preparing the side for Round 2. Now both the squad and coaching staff must show that such an outing can become the norm. Consistency must be the name of the game for Northampton Saints and if they deliver 20 more performances like Saturday’s then they will be just fine this season! 

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.