Jonathan Joseph hat trick seals emphatic victory for England in Rome

By Guest Author, Paddy Boyland (Paddy_Boyland)

Italy 9 England 40

After an exhilarating opening weekend, round two of the Six Nations very much went with the form book. On Saturday, France beat a forlorn Ireland in Paris and then Wales edged out Scotland at the Principality Stadium, while Sunday’s Valentine’s Day clash between hosts Italy and reinvigorated visitors England saw a ruthlessly efficient away side make it two wins from two in Rome.

Italy may have had a greater percentage of the possession and territory, yet the away side responded well when tested and always looked like pulling away in the closing stages.

The two sides traded penalties in a scrappy opening 20 minutes, with ill discipline from serial offenders Dan Cole and James Haskell, together with a malfunctioning lineout (4/13 lost) contributing factors in a disappointing England performance early doors. It remains to be seen if the aforementioned duo will keep their places in the coming weeks given the options at Eddie Jones’ disposal, but the Australian coach will want to see considerable improvement from the pair in that aspect of their play.

As against Scotland, the penalty count was far too high for a side with aspirations of becoming one of the best in the world. Currently, Jones’ men top the table for penalties conceded in this year’s championship, and will have to resolve this flaw in their game if they’re to lift the trophy come the final weekend. Put bluntly, Cole and Haskell will have to show they’re able to curb their reckless tendencies if they’re to fight off challenges from Kieran Brookes and Matt Kvesic and remain in the starting 15. 

Despite their sluggish start, it was England who scored the opening try of the game with the first real moment of quality. A well-judged George Ford up and under was expertly tracked by Joseph and Brown. The two hounded Italy full-back Sarto and eventually forced a turnover, from which England scored the game’s first try. Billy Vunipola and Farrell combined on the left, with the latter putting Ford in for an easy score in the corner. Advantage England, and just  rewards for a real desire to chase what was an expert kick from the fly half.

However, a missed Farrell conversion and a further moment of Red Rose indiscipline meant the game remained in the balance at 9-11. Italy came out firing at the start of the second half- the Azzurri had close to 70% possession and territory in second period- but England defended resolutely and Joseph’s intercept try on 52 put paid to any Italian hopes of a famous win. It was a huge turning point in a game that, at that point, looked like it could well have gone either way up, yet as was the case at Murrayfield, England’s grit, extra quality and superior nous shone through when it mattered.

Eddie Jones sensed a change in momentum with Italy starting to tire, and a raft of high quality substitutions underlined England’s strength in depth. On came Launchbury, George, Itoje, Marler and replacement scrum half Danny Care, further swinging the tide in the away team’s favour. Care’s early introduction, in particular, was an indication of how Jones will rotate his two 9’s until one proves himself to be undisputable number one in the position. As it stands, neither has massively impressed from the start, with the substitute then invariably looking better in the last twenty as space opens up. One must eventually seize his chance, or we may well see the two effectively share the role until such time as a standout candidate emerges.

This scenario was again apparent on Sunday- with the new forwards adding fresh impetus off the bench and providing a platform from which England could pull clear, Care was then afforded the type of space that Youngs wasn’t, and was thus better able to meaningfully affect the play. It was the Harlequins man’s delightful grubber pass that released Joseph for his second try of the game after a decent attacking scrum in Italy’s 22.

With the Italians tiring and England’s substitutes making their mark, Joseph’s hat-trick came with 10 mins left on the clock. Launchbury battered his way over the gainline, England swept left and Joseph muscled his way over despite the attempts of three Italian defenders. A welcome return to form for the Bath flyer, who had previously failed to reach the heights set in last year’s breakthrough Six Nations campaign.

By this point, the game was over as an encounter and the away side’s final try- a sweeping move that culminated in Jamie George’s superb offload to the grateful Owen Farrell- provided the proverbial icing on the cake. In many ways, it was the best of the lot, and another promising hint of things to come if England do indeed start to click more regularly.

So far so good for Eddie Jones and his men, then, who now have a two-week break before they face injury-hit Ireland at Twickenham. England must beware a fightback from a wounded Ireland side, yet focus will no doubt also turn to the penultimate weeks of the championship.

Of course, there’s room for improvement aplenty, especially at the lineout, where Courtney Lawes faltered on his first start of the championship. At the moment, the Northampton lock seems a shadow of his former self; the former bulldog used to crunch into tackles but now looks more of a meek puppy bounding about and bouncing off things, in truth. On current form he surely finds himself behind the abrasive George Kruis- who was again excellent- and Joe Launchbury in the second row pecking order.

Elsewhere, Paul Gustard’s role in England’s high intensity defensive work is starting to pay dividends, with a paltry 18 points conceded in two matches evidence of his exceptional work. There was also further improvement at the breakdown, where in the absence of a genuine fetcher, the likes of Joseph, Brown and Nowell chipped in to swarm around the player in possession at every available opportunity.

It’s still early days in a championship that is always prone to swinging to and fro but initial indications suggest that it will be a three-way tussle between England, France and Wales. The Red Rose have still to play their two greatest rivals for this year’s trophy, with a home game against Wales in week four followed by a final day trip to Paris. These are the fixtures that could well decide the destination of the famous old competition. To this victor, the spoils, as they say.

The RBS Six Nations roars back into action

Guest edition by Paddy Boyland

The Six Nations roared back into action last weekend, with the opening round of 2015/16 fixtures proving one of the most dramatic and thrilling in recent memory.

Much of the talk in the build-up to the highly anticipated championship centred on England and France after the pair’s disappointing World Cup campaigns-  the sleeping giants of northern hemisphere rugby flattered to deceive over the summer and came into Saturday’s curtain-raiser under new management, with enigmatic Australian Eddie Jones replacing Stuart Lancaster and trophy-laden former Toulouse boss Guy Novès tasked with rebuilding a France side that had seemed to stray from its traditional strengths.

There were occasional green shoots of recovery evident for both, yet, in truth, the quality of rugby on display was often lacklustre, with basic handling errors commonplace and progressive, attacking rugby eschewed in favour of attritional, predominantly pack-based blood and thunder. If this was the Northern Hemisphere’s response to the generally abject World Cup performances of the summer, then it was a pretty underwhelming one.

Sure, mitigating factors can be found at every corner. Jones and Novès need time to implement fundamentally different styles of play to those witnessed by their predecessors, while Ireland and Wales are still counting the cost of debilitating injury lists. Poor conditions also played a part, particularly at wet and windy Murrayfield, however the expectation must be that the standard can and will improve over the course of the next month.

Here, then, are the key things we learned from the opening round of fixtures.

 

France 23 Italy 21

Hosts France secured a narrow win in Paris thanks, in part, to fly half Jules Plisson’s controversial late penalty from range. Defeat was tough on an Italy side who had shown a pleasing versatility in their play; the away side dominated the scrum and threatened from deep, with Exeter centre Michele Campagnaro (4 defenders beaten) and veteran Sergio Parisse (91m made from 19 carries) key in taking the game to Guy Novès’ men.

France and their new coach will be no doubt happy enough with their opening gambit. Not only did they secure a precious opening day win, but they did so with a new team still very much in its infancy.

Novès’ rhetoric beforehand suggested that he wanted to see Les Bleus return to a style of rugby more in keeping with their renowned Gallic flair, and the initial signs from debutant backs Jonathan Danty and Virimi Vakata were promising. The former, named best centre in the Top 14 last season, provided constant menace with ball in hand, while the latter, plucked from Sevens rugby, crowned an impressive debut with an opportunistic try.

Elsewhere, the novice half-back partnership of Sébastien Bezy and Plisson ultimately failed to set the pulses racing. Bezy has been the standout scrum half in France for over a year now, helping Stade Toulousain to first place in the Top 14 standings, but he fluffed his lines here in missing three important penalties. He was eventually bailed out by his partner’s late kick, and Plisson will surely take up the place kicking mantle for the remainder of the tournament. Perhaps debut nerves got the better of the Toulouse 9, who in time should cement his place as the attacking metronome of Novès’ side.

Clearly, the ex-Toulouse boss has his work cut out in marrying short-term results with transforming his team’s modus operandi- France had turned into something of an England lite in recent years, using the considerable bulk of back row forwards Louis Picamoles and former captain Thierry Dusautoir to bludgeon their way over the gain-line- yet the performances of Danty, Plisson and prodigiously gifted 21-year-old flanker Yacouba Camara offer a glimmer of hope for the new coach in what is otherwise an uphill struggle to return France to the top of world rugby.

Scotland 9 England 15 

England’s new era, meanwhile, started in much the same vain as the last, as Eddie Jones’ charges kicked off the championship with a narrow, yet fairly convincing win over Vern Cotter’s Scotland.

The Scots came into the opening round of fixtures off the back of a decent World Cup, and hopes were high that they could spring a surprise in the Calcutta Cup game against the Auld Enemy. Once again, however, they were to fall short, with a superb performance from Man of the Match Billy Vunipola (51m made from a staggering 22 carries) and tries from Saracens lock George Kruis and Exeter winger Jack Nowell ultimately proving the difference.

As expected, there was no seismic shift in game-plan from new coach Eddie Jones, although the coach spoke of a desire to improve the pack and correct England’s misfiring scrum. In general, the set piece was indeed a strength for the visitors, with the driving lineout used to good effect throughout. At the breakdown- another area of weakness during the World Cup- Robshaw and Haskell again failed to pilfer the ball in the manner befitting a Hooper or Pocock, but did manage to slow down Scottish ball thanks to the help of backs such as Nowell and Joseph. Haskell, who it must be said is not a 7, made a substantial contribution defensively (completing 18 out of 18 tackles) and may retain his place despite competition from traditional opensides like Matt Kvesic of Gloucester and Will Fraser of Sarries.

In the backs, Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson did not succeed in living up to their pre-tournament billing, while the Ford-Farrell 10/12 axis was solid if unspectacular. Jones will cling to the promise evidenced by his side’s second try- a well-crafted move that culminated in a wonderful offload from Mako Vunipola and Farrell releasing Nowell for a simple finish in the corner. More of the same, please, if you’re an England fan.

For Scotland, positives came in the form of star performers Stuart Hogg, John Hardie and Jonny Gray- the latter grows in stature by the week and must now be a real Lions contender in the absence of stalwarts such as Paul O’Connell. There is considerable talent in Cotter’s team and they may surprise a few- don’t yet rule out a third place finish if one the more fancied sides falters.

 Ireland 16 Wales 16

Sunday afternoon’s final installment of the weekend was a pulsating, tightly contested clash between the two Celtic nations. This was a ding-dong affair which swayed to and fro and ended with a result that neither side really wanted, however the final score was a fair reflection of a game in which both had spells of real dominance.

Wales were pre-tournament favourites, and for good reason given their solid World Cup and relatively settled side. Here, they combined brain and brawns, with Jamie Roberts and Taulupe Faletau battering over the gain-line and half-back pairing

Yet Ireland, shorn of established stars Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and Rob Kearney as well as retired captain Paul O’Connell, raced into a 13-0 lead with newly qualified South African debutant CJ Stander (23 carries, 12 tackles) of Munster exceptional in the back row. If the World Cup showed us anything, though, it’s that Wales are made of stern stuff, and Gatland’s men fought back for a valiant point despite Dan Biggar’s early injury.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Hogg (SCO); Nowell (ENG), Campagnaro (ITA), Danty (FRA), Vakatawa (FRA); Plisson (FRA), Murray (IRE); Hardie (SCO), Vunipola (ENG), Stander (IRE); Kruis (ENG), J.Gray (SCO); Lee (WAL), Hartley (ENG), Cole (ENG)

Sweet Chariot can carry England to RWC glory

Mike Brown has been in phenomenal form for England.

I approached the start of the 2014 RBS Six Nations with excitement, but trepidation knowing Stuart Lancaster’s side are still very much in their development phase. The red rose looked like it would wilt under pressure from Wales, Ireland and France – teams who all seemed far further along the line than Chris Robshaw’s side.

 Ahead of today’s matches Ireland are in the driving seat for the championship. With a superior points difference and just the one defeat (13-10 to England at Twickenham), victory at the Stade de France in Paris would seal a memorable championship for the retiring rugby deity that is Brian O’Driscoll. However, should Philippe Saint-Andre’s mercurial French side defeat the Irish on home soil, then mathematics will decide if the French can sneak past the English on points difference. This is unlikely as France go in to the final round with a points difference of just 3, compared to England’s 32 ahead of their trip to Rome.  

 England started the tournament with a tricky away visit to Paris with several new combinations being tested. Gloucester’s Billy Twelvetrees and Northampton’s Luther Burrell forged their centre partnership for the first time, and inexperienced speedsters Jack Nowell and Jonny May made their Six Nations debuts on the wings. France took a commanding 16-3 lead after just 22 minutes, however Burrell bundled his way over for a try and Mike Brown – who will surely be awarded player of the tournament broke away for a score of his own. Throw in Danny Care’s audacious successful drop goal and England were back in the game. Alex Goode added a penalty and the English looked like sneaking a surprising away victory. However, the heroic effort fell short as Gael Fickou, the promising Toulouse centre raced away for a 50-metre try at the death to seal a 26-24 home victory for the French.

 Lancaster stuck with his original selection for the trip to a boggy Murrayfield and his side ground out a hard-fought 20-0 victory against a woeful Scottish side. The score line flattered the hosts as England left several scores out on the field, however, the forwards outmuscled their opponents and Burrell and Brown scored a try a piece to settle the visitors’ nerves. This gave the young English side some confidence ahead of their battle with Ireland at Twickenham.

 When England welcomed the Irish to rugby HQ, the visitors were tipped as favourites by many. Experience counts for everything in international rugby and with O’Driscoll rolling back the years and Paul O’Connell as aggressive as ever despite losing some pace and dynamism around the park, his side were confident of victory. England trailed 10-3 at half time after Rob Kearney cut a beautiful line to score under the posts, however, yet again England showed tremendous character to claw their way back in to the game. Harlequins superstar full back Mike Brown made a scything break before releasing the electric Care who dived in to score unopposed. Two penalties and a successful conversion from the maturing Owen Farrell were enough to earn a famous win for his side.

 Next up, Wales. Anyone who remembers the horror show from England’s 30-3 drubbing at the hands of Warren Gatland’s side in Cardiff last year may have approached the game with severe anxiety. Surely England weren’t going to be humiliated on home turf? The Welsh arrived with the simple game plan of ‘Gatlandball’ – in which they are directed to batter-down the opposition defence, coming round the corner at pace before spreading the ball out wide to scoring threats such as George North and Alex Cuthbert. However, this simply didn’t work. England’s stoic defence held firm and a shocking kicking performance by Rhys Priestland helped the hosts enormously. The quick thinking of Care saw him take two penalties quickly to make a huge territorial gain and after the second cheeky effort he dove over for the opening score as Sam Warburton’s side failed to retreat for the penalty. Twelvetrees put in a delicate grubber kick that Burrell latched on to for a superbly executed try. Despite dominating the game in terms of territory and possession, England led just 20-15 at half time because they gave away silly penalties that Leigh Halfpenny slotted with ease. England withheld Welsh pressure in the second half and even turned the screw on the Welsh scrum, resulting in another sin binning for Gethin Jenkins.  Farrell added a few penalties to give England a cushion and Burrell looked to be in for another score only for Halfpenny to make an amazing try-saving tackle in which he dislocated his shoulder for the cause. The final whistle blew at England 29 Wales 18 and all memories of the shambles in Cardiff last year eased.

 England will obliterate Italy, but I suspect Ireland will beat the French by 5, meaning that Lancaster’s side will take a well-earned second place in this year’s tournament. This England side excites me and the squad that will represent England in the World Cup in 2015 on home soil is building promisingly. There are two or three players competing for every position and there is real talent and determination being showed by Chris Robshaw’s team. We may not have the best pack of forwards individually, but we are working well as a unit and are a match for the Southern Hemisphere sides.

 Care has to remain as the number one scrum half; he sets the tempo and is always aware of attacking positions around him. Farrell is turning in to a world class fly-half, he is kicking exceptionally well from hand and off the tee, he tackles anything that comes down his channel and he has even added a running game to his repertoire. Lancaster faces tough choices in the centres, but it is reassuring to see real quality and strength in depth in this side. Brown will make himself the best full back in world rugby if he continues the form he is in, yet his wingers outside him need more time to develop.

 England can challenge in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, despite facing a tough group with Australia and rivals Wales. What pleases me most is that this side is yet to reach its full potential. There is plenty more to come in attack and the defence can still be strengthened. Regardless of the final outcome of the 2014 RBS Six Nations, England have had an excellent tournament and have made a real statement to the rugby world. Who is to say that England cannot win the 2015 Rugby World Cup?

2014 RBS Six Nations Preview – Wales’ Tournament to lose?

It’s my favourite time of year in the rugby calendar once again; the Six Nations is back and the anticipation has been bigger than ever. After a phenomenal Lions series victory in Australia, helped significantly by the sizable Welsh contingent, Sam Warburton’s side are clear favourites. However, the Six Nations brings unpredictability and drama from the first whistle to the final play of the match. Normally the Scots and the Italians are written off even before a ball has been kicked, however, last year Ireland fell at the hands of the regular wooden spoon contenders. It’s the old cliché, but no side should be taken for granted. However, who will lift the RBS Six Nations trophy on Sunday 15^th March?

England

Stuart Lancaster’s side have an exciting look about themselves this year; finally the out-of-form defensive weak link that is Chris Ashton has been dropped and speedsters Jonny May and Jack Nowell are given a thrilling chance to impress away to France in the first round of the tournament. These two know how to find the try line, so it is down to England’s engine room to provide the platform up front. The one area of concern is the centre partnership, with Manu Tuilagi injured and Brad Barritt still working his way back into form after an injury of his own, Billy Twelvetrees and Luther Burrell are given the 12 and 13 shirts respectively. In the autumn internationals, Twelvetrees showed some promise; however, the Gloucester vice-captain lacked consistency and missed one crucial tackle against Australia. Burrell has been punching holes in defences all season for Northampton and he must continue his form in the red rose to give England any hope of scalping the French. Up front, England’s pack has been steadily taking shape over the past two seasons; the combative front row of Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole are tried and tested at the top level and Lancaster can call on the dynamic ball-carrying abilities of Tom Youngs and Mako Vunipola – a terrifying thought for tiring defences. The line-out should function well with Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes calling the shots. It’s fantastic to see Lawes back in an England shirt; he plays the enforcer role so well. The England back-row options are an embarrassment of riches at present, but Tom Wood, captain Chris Robshaw and Billy Vunipola bring the right balance of physicality and nuisance-making at the breakdown.

Prediction: 3^rd With England still building towards the 2015 Rugby World Cup and too many new combinations being tested out Lancaster’s men cannot be labelled genuine contenders.

France

Who knows how the French will perform in this year’s tournament? They a back line swarming with flair and pace and a set of forwards that can overwhelm any side on its day, however, too often, Les Bleus don’t turn up when it matters. Clearly the cash-rich Top 14 is affecting the national side as French youngsters don’t get to play ahead of the star-studded foreign imports turning out week-in-week-out. Two Toulousains immediately jump out in the back-row as ones to watch in Louis Picamoles and Yannick Nyanga, with club mate Thierry Dusautoir not selected this year. A problem area for France has been at fly-half, and Philippe Saint-Andre has given the No.10 shirt to Jules Plisson who makes his debut following fine form for Stade Francais. He needs to manage the game well, before releasing his gifted outside backs. Elsewhere, Wesley Fofana who played so brilliantly in last year’s tournament is going to be a marked man in this tournament; his footwork and deceptive strength make him a real challenge to mark. Mathieu Bastareaud has been phenomenal for Toulon this season, and he will be a real handful for England newbie Burrell in Paris this weekend. France had a horrendous autumn international series and they are desperate for a change in fortunes, write them off at your peril. The French always perform well following a Lions series, and they are a tough test for anyone in front of their partisan faithful at the Stade de France.

Prediction: 4^th France seem too shaky at present and one bad result will have the press on their back and even more pressure on Saint-Andre’s already heavily burdened shoulders. However, if they find their form, the fixture list is favourable this year and a runners-up spot wouldn’t be out of the question.

Ireland

At the end of 2013, Ireland nearly managed one of their greatest ever victories, however, they were edged out by the All Blacks at home in an agonising last play of the game defeat 22-24. Joe Schmidt’s men will hope to exhibit the scintillating attacking rugby they displayed in the heroic defeat to New Zealand, especially considering that this is likely to be Brian O’Driscoll’s final Six Nations tournament. The leading try scorer in the history of the tournament still has what it takes to lead a team to victory at the top level and while he may have lost a yard or two of pace over the years, his stoic defensive efforts and ability to read the game would put him on any team sheet in world rugby in the No.13 shirt. Ireland are sadly missing experienced players in Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Donnacha Ryan and Sean O'Brien – who recently signed a new contract keeping him in Ireland. Absentees of this quality will be missed; however, the fixture card gifts them three home games this year, which is a huge positive.  Cian Healy and Rory Best are two of the best front row forwards in the competition; they will establish dominion in the set-piece and are both a handful in the loose. Skippered by the evergreen Paul O’Connell, the line-out will function well and the British and Irish Lion is one of the top leaders in the competition. He helped Munster grind out a determined victory away to Gloucester at Kingsholm last month, his desire and grunt has not waned as he has aged in the slightest. Jamie Heaslip will have a lot of work to do this year without O’Brien to help him at the breakdown, and the No.8 battles are some of the most enticing clashes this year with the likes of Vunipola, Picamoles, Sergio Parisse and Heaslip himself, there will be some monstrous collisions.  There is some inexperience in Ireland’s backline, however, the likes of Rob Kearney and Jonny Sexton will provide guidance and set the standard for the younger cubs in the squad. The latter has much to prove in my opinion after struggling to make his mark for Racing Metro, despite his six-figure salary.

Prediction: 2^nd Ireland host three home games and with several experienced internationals playing what may prove to be their last tournament, they will throw everything they can at the competition. Ireland are disciplined, very physical and have some fantastic footballers at their disposal.

Italy

Rugby fans adore their pilgrimages to the Stadio Flaminio each year; the gladiatorial venue has definitely hosted its fair share of upsets over the years. Having toppled Ireland and France last season, the Italians are not to be underestimated.  However, the Italians struggle in the Six Nations with a small player base to choose from and two weak sides that languish at the foot of the Rabo Direct league. Typically you can expect to see plenty of passion, aggression and a desire to attack from Jacques Brunel’s side; however, they lack strength-in-depth and the ability to close out most games. Last season, they even ran England close 18-11 at Twickenham, but the class is slightly lacking in key positions.  This cannot be said for Sergio Parisse, who captains his country yet again, the warrior No.8 is consistently regarded as one of the players of the tournament, despite his side’s poor performances over the history of the competition. Had he been born in the southern hemisphere, he would have been in the hall of fame by now, clutching world cups in his arms.  However, the proud Italian has a real task ahead of him to prevent Italy from collecting the wooden spoon.  The Italian backline lacks experience and the class normally associated with the ambitious national side. However, Luke McLean provides a reliable service from full-back under the high ball and offers a real threat on the counter attack. Italy host Scotland in round three in the key encounter for the wooden spoon. Parisse will be confident his side can pull off a couple of victories this season, however, Italy face three away trips this year including a daunting opening game against Wales.

Prediction: 6^th Even with some heroic efforts, the Italians simply don’t have the star quality needed to thrive at this level. The home encounter against Scotland is their best chance of recording a win this year; however, Italy has proven often enough that they can upset anyone on their day.

Scotland

It is difficult to pinpoint the reason for Scotland’s dismal performances in recent Six Nations history. On paper, the squad is peppered with star performers in the European game, however, when the team comes together, they struggle to gel and crucially, they struggle to score tries. Scott Johnson has added some much needed dynamism to his side; however, he faces a testing tournament yet again, with few backing the Scots to make much on an impact in the competition. If things click for Scotland, they have a very abrasive pack of forwards with the likes of Ross Ford at hooker, Jim Hamilton in the second row and David Denton at No.8. These three in particular are fiery competitors and if they can contain their aggression positively, they will be a real handful for other teams. The Scottish backs are full of promise, with Stuart Hogg fresh from the Lions series in which he featured as the youngest player in the squad; you have an outstanding natural try scorer. His tries against England and Italy last season demonstrated his ability to change direction quickly and speed off jinking around would-be tacklers. Sean Maitland is another proven finisher, but these two speedsters need quality possession from their forwards and clean ball from their halfbacks. The versatile Greig Laidlaw wears the scrum-half jersey in the opener at the Aviva Stadium against Ireland, while Duncan Weir takes the reins at fly-half – an area where Scotland has been found wanting in recent years. The Scottish game plan for the tournament will be fairly straightforward; they have a reliable set piece and a hardworking set of forwards, but they need to try and play some expansive rugby. If you watch the defences of Wales, Ireland and England for instance, they will not be broken down easily by a few phases of possession and then putting width on the ball. For Scotland to cause a few upsets and avoid the wooden spoon, they must play positive rugby and give their young outside backs the chance to thrive out wide.

Prediction: 5^th Key matches for Scotland are England at home and Italy away. If Scotland can unsettle an England side in transition at Murrayfield early on, they could create real problems for Lancaster’s men. The battle in Rome this year will be fascinating, with both Italy and Scotland desperate to avoid the wooden spoon and keen to assert themselves as serious European rugby forces.

Wales

This is a simple preview to write; this year’s tournament is Wales’ to lose. After a phenomenal Lions series which saw the majority of the Welsh national side prosper, and two Six Nations victories in a row, Gatland’s men are looking for their third title in succession. His selection is consistent, and despite two unconvincing autumn international campaigns, Wales are a settled, well-organised and dynamic outfit. In George North and Alex Cuthbert, there will be an abundance of tries. The two gargantuan wingers have unnatural pace for their size and they crop up in midfield to cause real problems for drifting defences. Leigh Halfpenny who recently announced he is off to Toulon next season is an outstanding goal kicker, a dangerous attacking threat and a rock at the back in defence. Rhys Priestland may not set the world alight on his own, but he knows how to unlock defences. If he can continue to manage games for a full 80 minutes then Wales should have no problems throughout the tournament. The front row of Paul James, Richard Hibbard and Adam Jones are a match for any pack in world rugby. Hibbard in particular is a thrill to watch as his defence shows no regards for the well-being of his body; his thunderous hits spur on the Millennium Stadium crowd and keep the opposition on the back foot. It’s an embarrassment of riches in the forwards, with Alun Wyn-Jones a master of the line-out and terrific leader on the pitch and a back-row that carries tremendously and can bully teams at the breakdown. When England were humiliated by Wales in Cardiff last season, it was started by domination in the contact area. Dan Lydiate needs to show his class again after some lacklustre performance in the Top 14, but on his day he is one of the best tacklers in European rugby, scything opponents down at will. , At open-side, Justin Tipuric starts the first game, but he is a like-for-like replacement for captain Sam Warburton and both players are a nuisance at the breakdown, securing turnovers and slowing opposition ball down. Finally, Toby Faletau is a match for any No.8 in the competition, his ability to peel off the back of the scrum and make huge inroads into the defensive third is vital to Wales’ gain line success. He had a quiet autumn, but much is expected of him this season.

Predicted Table

1)    Wales

2)    Ireland

3)    England

4)    France

5)    Scotland

6)    Italy

Top try scorer: George North (Wales)

Top point scorer: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)

Who do you think will win the 2014 RBS Six Nations? Comment below or tweet and follow @tom_dowler.

2013/14 Aviva Premiership preview: a club-by-club guide

Aviva Premiership rugby fans eagerly await the start of the new season with high hopes. Several clubs have made major changes to coaching and playing staff and this year’s tournament will be more competitive than ever. Saracens topped the table in 2012/13, but Leicester beat Northampton Saints in the grand final at Twickenham (37-17), to claim their tenth Premiership title. London Welsh bowed out of the league despite a courageous effort and the Newcastle Falcons bounced straight back up from the Championship.

Bath

Bath has added several new recruits to the ranks at the Recreation Ground hoping to break in to the top six once again.  Bruce Craig’s millions have yet to produce the results and silverware the West Country fans crave. Gary Gold is in his second campaign and has an accomplished coaching team alongside him, in Mike Ford, Toby Booth and Neil Hatley. A weakness may be at scrum-half this season, with Michael Claassens opting to join cash-rich Toulon. Micky Young joins from Leicester, having failed to make a real mark with the Midlands outfit. It will be a real test for Young to take over as the first choice scrum-half. Bath hope youngster George Ford will step up after a promising start to his career at Leicester, Bath have not had a solid No. 10 since Butch James left. Gold’s side have a solid pack and Matt Garvey adds some real bulk and dynamism to the front-five.  Kyle Eastmond in his second season of rugby union will continue to add a real attacking edge to Bath’s arsenal.

Key Man: Jonathan Joseph the former London Irish speedster has mesmerising footwork and blistering pace. With a reliable forward platform to play from he will wreak havoc in partnership with Eastmond in the centres.

In: Juan Pablo Orlandi (Racing Metro), Matt Garvey, David Sisi, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson (London Irish), Micky Young, George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Gavin Henson (London Welsh), Peter Stringer (Munster), Martin Roberts (Northampton Saints), Leroy Houston (Colomiers), Alafoti Fa'osiliva (Bristol Rugby)

Out: Lee Mears, Dan Hipkiss (retired), Michael Claassens (Toulon), Stephen Donald (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Jack Cuthbert (Edinburgh), Ben Skirving (Bristol), Sam Vesty (Worcester Warriors), Simon Taylor, Mark McMillan (released).

Last season 7^th. This season 7^th Bath may struggle to close out games with untried halfback combinations and without the guile of Claassens. Also, Gavin Henson needs to be managed well to prevent him from becoming a disruptive influence on the squad.

Exeter

Rob Baxter’s men continue to make Sandy Park a real challenging venue for away teams to visit and have improved on the road. The Chiefs still lack some star quality compared to other teams in the league, but they should never be written off as they have caused the top teams difficulty away from home with scalps against Gloucester and Harlequins in previous seasons. Parting players will be missed including club stalwarts Richard Baxter and Chris Budgen who have retired and the skill of Ignacio Mieres will be hard to replace. The South West side have not recruited as strongly as some may have anticipated, so a lower-mid table finish is expected, unless the Chiefs benefit from autumn international periods with a less star-studded squad.

In: Greg Bateman (London Welsh), Don Armand (Stormers), Dave Lewis (Gloucester), Ceri Sweeney, Tom James (Cardiff Blues), Fetu'u Vainikolo (Connacht)

Out: Neil Clark (Oyonnax), Aly Muldowney (Connacht), Ignacio Mieres (Worcester Warriors), Josh Tatupu (Carcassonne), Gonzalo Camacho (Leicester Tigers), Mark Foster (Jersey), Watisoni Votu (Perpignan), Chris Budgen, Richard Baxter, Kevin Barrett, Junior Poluleuligaga (retired)

Last season 6^th. This season 8^th the Aviva Premiership is the most challenging league in world rugby and Exeter have not added enough depth to their squad. They will put up a good fight at home and to claim a few exciting away victories, but their lack of star quality will cost them a place in the top six.

Gloucester

Nigel Davies had an excellent first season at the helm of the Kingsholm club, finishing fifth and making the Amlin Cup quarter-final. The Cherry and Whites were competitive right until the 80^th minute in every league game but one (32-9 defeat to Sale), sealing losing bonus points and never giving up. This quality served the West Country side well and they finished five points short of a top four spot. The partnership of Freddie Burns and Billy Twelvetrees blossomed in the 10 and 12 shirts, while Ben Morgan and Sione Kalamafoni added real grunt and vicious ball-carrying impetus to the back-row. This season’s fortunes depend on international call-ups and injuries, with Burns, Twelvetrees, Morgan and new recruit Matt Kvesic likely to feature for England this year, severely testing Gloucester’s strength-in-depth.

Key Man: Matt Kvesic will add a real vigour to the back-row and will be a neat foil to the brawn of Morgan and Kalamafoni. The former Worcester Warrior joins the club he watched as a boy and his unrivalled prowess at the breakdown should make Gloucester a menace in attack and defence at this vital area of the game.

In: Dan George (London Welsh), Tom Hicks (Northampton Saints), James Hudson (Newcastle Falcons), Matt Kvesic (Worcester Warriors), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Jonny Bentley (Cornish Pirates)

Out: Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Dave Lewis (Exeter Chiefs), Drew Locke (Jersey), Will Graulich (Cornish Pirates), Alex Brown, Peter Buxton (retired), Tommaso D'Apice (released).

Last Season: 5^th. This season: 5^th Gloucester may struggle in the autumn and in the Six Nations period without several influential players. The Cherry and Whites will also rely on very promising young props whose inexperience may cost Davies’ side a play-off place.

Harlequins

The 2011/12 Champions had a slightly underwhelming season last year in comparison to their first title-winning season. Finishing third in the regular season, Quins lost 33-16 to Leicester in the semi-final, so this year, fans will hope for a top two finish securing a home semi-final. Connor O’Shea has not recruited extensively, with the majority of his squad in place from last season. Paul Doran-Jones has big shoes to fill with James Johnston leaving to join Saracens. Doran-Jones has not excelled since he left Gloucester, he has plenty of potential, but he is not the same monstrous scrummager as Johnston. It will be interesting to see how Quins fare in the scrum this season without the south-sea-Islander. The retirement of Olly Kohn and Will Skinner is a shame for the club, but Nick Kennedy is a fantastic replacement in the second-row.

Key man: Mike Brown Stuart Lancaster tried Brown on the wing, but full-back is definitely his strongest position. The back-three maestro is consistently top of the metres-made stats each season, he has a phenomenal counter-attacking arsenal with a cannon of a left boot and he has the pace and step needed to punish teams who kick poorly to him.

In: Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints), Nick Kennedy (Toulon), Paul Sackey (Stade Francais)

Out: James Johnston (Saracens), Chris Brooker (Worcester Warriors), Peter Browne, Seb Stegmann (London Welsh), Rory Clegg (Newcastle Falcons), Olly Kohn, Will Skinner (retired).

Last season 3^rd. This season 3^rd it is hard to write off the Londoners, they have found a formula that combines some of the most exciting attacking rugby in the league with a robust defensive line. The addition of Nick Kennedy will make O’Shea’s side even more challenging to play against.  Nick Evans still runs the show at No.10 and Danny Care is a sniping scrum half that can set the right tempo at the right time for his side.

Leicester

The reigning champions start the season with Richard Cockerill forced to watch from the stands on match days, but this should not affect the Midlands clubs too badly. Geordan Murphy takes over as backs coach and the veteran full-back’s unquestionable skill and experience will be passed on to the current highly talented back line. Dan Cole’s dominance in the scrum has forced Martin Castrogiovanni to look elsewhere, although the Italian stalwart will face stiff competition in Toulon. This year sees hardly any major imports, but Leicester has a squad capable of competing at the top of the Premiership and possibly challenging the French big spenders in Europe. Toby Flood is one of the most experienced members of the squad now at the age of 28, but a pre-season head injury may threaten Leicester’s early chances. With the unpredictable Ryan Lamb as a back up option, the Welford Road faithful will be praying for a quick and full recovery from their new captain.   

Key man: Tom Youngs  the combative hooker had an amazing season, making his name on the international stage for England and playing a key part in the Lions series victory in Australia. Youngs is a wrecking ball with ball in hand and he is dynamic at the breakdown, more work on his throwing in to the line-out could turn him in to one of the world’s best hookers over the next few seasons.

In: Tim Bristow (London Welsh), Jérôme Schuster, David Mele (Perpignan), Neil Briggs (London Welsh), Sebastian De Chaves (Stade Montois), Jamie Gibson (London Irish), Ryan Lamb (Northampton Saints), Owen Williams (Scarlets), Gonzalo Camacho (Exeter Chiefs)

Out: Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Jimmy Stevens (London Irish), Rob Andrew (London Welsh), Richard Thorpe (London Welsh), Micky Young, George Ford (Bath Rugby), Andy Forsyth (Sale Sharks), Geordan Murphy (Retired)

Last season 2^nd (playoff winners). This season 1^st the Midlands outfit are born winners, the fortress that is Welford Road is an intimidating place to visit and the Tigers arguably have the best pack in the league.

London Irish

Having lost several influential players, Irish struggled desperately last season, but with some hard graft they survived the drop ahead of the relegation dogfight.  This year could also be a huge challenge without the likes of Alex Corbisiero, Jonathan Joseph and Matt Garvey. Irish need to address the problem of player retention, but it seems some players are jumping a sinking ship. Former England attacking coach Brian Smith faces a gruelling season, with home form vital to survival. Irish have a good kicking game with Tom Homer, however, they lack depth throughout the squad and will rely on several promising youngsters to keep the side in the top tier of domestic rugby.

Key man: Marlon Yarde the young winger had an exciting summer tour with England in Argentina and is one to watch over the next season or two. He has electric pace and is deceptively strong.  It is likely Yarde will move to one of the top four clubs next season, to pursue European Rugby and stake his claim for international rugby.

In: Jamie Hagan (Leinster), Johnny Harris, Jimmy Stevens, Patrick Phibbs, Alex Lewington (Leicester Tigers), Matt Parr, Nic Rouse (Nottingham), Blair Cowan (Worcester Warriors), Myles Dorrian (Exeter Chiefs), Eamonn Sheridan, Fergus Mulchrone (Rotherham), Andy Fenby (Scarlets)

Out: Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints), Max Lahiff (Melbourne Rebels), Jerry Yanuyanutawa (Glasgow Warriors), James Buckland (London Scottish), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), James Sandford (Cornish Pirates), Matt Garvey, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson, David Sisi (Bath Rugby), Jack Moates (London Wasps), Steven Shingler (Scarlets), Joe Ansbro (Retired)

Last season 9^th.  This season 11^th the relegation battle is likely to go down to the final few rounds of the season, but Irish should just about avoid the drop. They have more exciting young talent than Newcastle and Homer’s reliable boot should be enough to keep them in the Premiership.

London Wasps

Expectations were low for Wasps last season after narrowly avoiding relegation the season before, however, the side are now financially secure and with Christian Wade and Tom Varndell on the wings scoring tries for fun, they are one of the most exciting attacking sides to watch. Wasps have brought in the former Leicester and Worcester veteran Andy Goode to add more structure to the attack. While he does not have the pace to cut a flat line with any real threat, he has the boot needed to keep Wasps playing in the right areas of the pitch and a fine tactical brain. Kearnan Myall is a fantastic signing to replace Marco Wentzel who has been released to go back to South Africa. Myall is a line-out technician whose signature was highly sought after by several other Premiership clubs because of his ability to command the set-piece.  If things click for Wasps this season, they could be the surprise package to sneak in to the top four.

Key man: Christian Wade finished last season joint top of the Aviva Premiership try-scoring list with 13( tied with Varndell). Wade is a lethal finisher, who can beat an opponent in a space the width of his shoulders. Some pundits worry about him under the high ball and in defence, but he is working hard on those two aspects of his game.

In: Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors), Taione Vea (North Harbour), Neil Cochrane (Bedford Blues), Carlo Festuccia (Zebre) Esteban Lozada (Agen), Kearnan Myall (Sale Sharks), Ed Jackson (London Welsh), Nathan Hughes (Auckland), Rory Pitman (Rotherham), Jack Moates (London Irish), Joe Carlisle, Andy Goode (Worcester Warriors), Ben Jacobs (Western Force), William Helu (Roma)

Out: Zac Taulafo (Stade Francais), Rhys Thomas (Dragons), Marco Wentzel (Released), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Nicky Robinson (Bristol), Will Robinson (London Welsh), Jack Wallace (Bristol), Stephen Jones, Lee Thomas, Tim Payne (Retirement)

Last season 8^th. This season 6^th If Wade and Varndell continue to pose a threat out wide and Goode can give the Wycombe-based side some structure, Wasps can potentially disrupt the top four this season.

Newcastle Falcons

Rugby fans in the North were delighted to see the Falcons back in the Premiership after their year in the wilderness. The Falcons outclassed the rest of the Championship and eased back in to top flight rugby. They now face the unenviable task of trying to re-establish themselves as a Premiership outfit. Every point is vital in their scrap for survival. This year will be tough without Jimmy Goppeth who has joined Leinster and now the goal kicking responsibilities fall to new recruit Rory Clegg. The former Harlequin moved to get more game time, but there is a lot of pressure on his young shoulders. Goppeth kept Newcastle in the Premiership for several seasons before the Falcons eventually felt the drop to the Championship. Scott Lawson adds some international experience at hooker and the former London Irish and Gloucester man is a fine scrummager and a danger in the loose.  Considering the Falcons lost line-out supremo James Hudson to Gloucester and many other key players, the North East side have not recruited well enough to keep themselves in the Aviva Premiership. They will have to use the tough conditions at Kingston Park in their favour as away trips will not be very fruitful this season.

Key man: Mike Blair the 85 cap Scottish international is a fantastic replacement for Rory Lawson who retired due to injury. Blair brings a wealth of experience and is a natural leader, his ability to command the forwards and get the back line moving and playing in the right areas gives Newcastle fans some hope.

In: Franck Montanella (London Welsh), Scott Lawson (London Irish), Dominic Barrow (Leeds Carnegie), Fraser McKenzie (Sale Sharks), Andy Saull (Saracens), Mike Blair (Brive), Rory Clegg (Harlequins), Phil Godman (London Scottish), Danny Barnes (Munster), Noah Cato (Northampton Saints)

Out: Jimmy Goppeth (Leinster) James Hall (Bristol), Michael Mayhew (London Irish), James Hudson (Gloucester), Taiasina Tui'fua (Bordeaux Begles), Jordi Pasqualin (London Scottish), Rory Lawson, Jon Golding (Retirement)

Last season Championship playoff winners. This season 12^th relegated Newcastle have not recruited well enough to replace some experienced old heads who have moved on and Clegg has too much responsibility in his first season in the No.10 shirt.  Losing bonus points could narrowly save the Falcons if they can keep themselves within seven points in away games.

Northampton Saints

Consistency secured the Saints top four status, with a respectable home record and some fine away wins against Gloucester, Wasps and Exeter. Jim Mallinder’s men even managed to shock Aviva Premiership fans with an away victory to Saracens in the semi-final (13-27), however, when faced with the powerhouse of the Leicester Tigers in the grand final they faltered – 37-17. The Saints always have a tremendous rolling maul and this should only be strengthened with British and Irish Lion Alex Corbisiero now on the books. Hopefully Corbisiero’s knee and calf injury worries are a thing of the past. Kahn Fotuali'I is an interesting addition to the squad, a versatile half back comfortable in both key positions, it will be fascinating to see him linking up with Lee Dickson making up one of the quickest halfback combinations in the league.

Key man: George North, it seems Saints have finally replaced Chris Ashton after his departure two seasons ago with an even deadlier finisher who can defend as well as score tries. North was one of the star performers in Australia with the Lions and if he can replicate anywhere near that kind of form, the Saints will have a fantastic season. The giant winger is remarkably agile for a man of his mammoth size and his pace defies physics, Aviva Premiership wingers will not look forward to marking him this season.

In: Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Salesi Ma'afu (Western Force), Gareth Denman (Rotherham), Rob Verbakel, Glenn Dickinson (Otago), Kahn Fotuali'i (Ospreys), George North (Scarlets)

Out: Paul Doran-Jones (Harlequins), Soane Tonga'uiha, Brian Mujati (Racing Metro), Tom Hicks (Gloucester), Mark Sorensen (Bristol), Martin Roberts (Bath), Ryan Lamb (Leicester), Tom May (London Welsh), Noah Cato (Newcastle Falcons)

Last season 4^th. This season 4^th North gives the Saints some real threat out wide, but Northampton may struggle somewhat during the international periods. Also the enormous figures of Soane Tonga-uiha and Brian Mujati will be missed as their devastating ball carrying and monstrous scrummaging have been a key contributor to the Saints’ top four consistency in recent years.

Sale Sharks

Sale’s coaching and playing staff overhaul was woefully underwhelming last season. Within months, Bryan Redpath was demoted to backs coach and Steve Diamond had to pull his sleeves up and get hands on with the side to keep them from relegation. Sale secured top flight status with a 10^th placed finish. Danny Cipriani did not perform last season and he has to commit more in defence and show the skill that saw him win seven caps for England. The Sharks have lost two line-out winning second rows in Kearnan Myall and Richie Gray. Gray was a big sponsor-pleasing signing, but he failed to live up to the hype and was tempted away by a big pay packet with Top 14 champions Castres. Myall is another line-out general and this could be a area of real weakness for Diamond’s side.  Sale raided London Welsh for a few players, but otherwise their new additions are disappointing. The loss of hardened back-row experts Richie Vernon and Andy Powell will be felt this season, despite Sale boasting the likes of Dave Seymour and Dan Braid.

Key man: Johnny Leota the Samoan centre is a rock in defence and gives the Sharks go forward in attack and his partnership with Sam Tuitupou is vital to Sale’s chances this year. The two hard-hitting centres will work until the final whistle this season to keep their side in the Aviva Premiership and they may even dream of sneaking up the middle of the table.  

In: Daniel Baines (Rotherham), Kirill Kulemin, Jonathan Mills, Phil Mackenzie, Tom Arscott (London Welsh), Andy Forsyth (Leicester Tigers), Michael Paterson (Cardiff Blues), Joe Ford (Leeds Carnegie)

Out: Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Castres), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Andy Powell (Wigan Warriors), Corne Uys (Pays d'Aix), Charlie Amesbury (Bristol)

Last season 10^th. This season 9^th Sale lack quality ball-winners in the second row and their fly-half choices are mercurial. It will not be quite as disastrous a season as last year, but there will be some nervy moments for Sharks fans in the first half of the season.

Saracens

Mark McCall was disappointed to see his side lose the home semi-final 13-27 to Northampton last in May after topping the table in the regular season, but he has made some clever signings to boost the squad this year. The majority of the squad stays the same, but two powerful ball-carriers in Billy Vunipola and James Johnston come in to break down opposing defences and to help Sarries dominate the scrum.  Saracens only lost four matches in the regular Premiership season last year because they have one of the best defences in the league and have added to their attacking repertoire, scoring five try bonus points. They have metronomic goal kickers in Charlie Hodgson and Owen Farrell, who make a fine partnership at 10 and 12. Sarries will comfortably make the top four and are likely to book themselves another home semi-final.  

Key man: Billy Vunipola the former London Wasp made his England debut in Argentina this summer, his 126kg frame will be a real asset for Saracens from the base of the scrum. The brutish No.8 is nearly impossible to stop from close range, so opposing back-rows will have to be vigilant and try and bring him down before he builds up momentum.  

In: Billy Vunipola (London Wasps), James Johnston (Harlequins), Tim Streather (Nottingham), Michael Tagicakibau (Bristol)

Out: Andy Saull (Newcastle Falcons), Carlos Nieto, John Smit, Joe Maddock (Retired)

Last season 1^st (lost in semi-final). This season 2^nd Leicester and Saracens will battle to top the table at the end of the regular season, but both should be confident of a home semi-final spot. Saracens boast a formidable scrum, some of the best halfbacks in the league and pose a real threat out wide, so they should hope to make the final once again this season.

Worcester Warriors

The Warriors had yet another disappointing season of mediocrity, narrowly avoiding relegation at the expense of London Welsh. Dean Ryan takes charge at Sixways, the former Wasps and Gloucester coach will run a tight ship, hoping to push the Warriors in to mid-table territory. Ryan’s stint at Sky as an analyst highlighted his knowledge of the game and his meticulous approach should benefit the side who, for too long, have languished in the bottom third of the table. Former Gloucester forward coach Carl Hogg comes in to work with the Sixways pack. The departure of Andy Goode is a big loss for the club, but Australian Paul Warwick flew in from Stade Français to fill the No. 10 shirt. Another player who will be sorely missed is Matt Kvesic, who moves to Gloucester – the young back-row dynamo kept Worcester in the league last season and caused opposing teams nightmares with his ability to turn the ball over. The Warriors always have a competitive pack and with Ignacio Mieres, the Warriors have a highly versatile, creative and exciting playmaker to back up Warwick at fly-half.

Key man:

In: Paul Andrew (Cornish Pirates), Jérémy Bécasseau (Stade Francais), Ofa Fainga'anuku (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Brooker (Harlequins), Agustin Creevy (Montpellier), Michael Williams (Blue Bulls), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Cameron Goodhue (Auckland Blues), Leonardo Senatore (Pampas XV), Jeremy Su'a (Crusaders), Ignacio Mieres (Exeter Chiefs), Paul Warwick (Stade Francais), James Stephenson (Bedford Blues)

Out: Matt Mullan, Joe Carlisle, Andy Goode (London Wasps), Ollie Hayes (Bristol Rugby), Aleki Lutui (Edinburgh), Neil Best (London Scottish), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Nikki Walker (Edinburgh), Errie Claassens (Bristol), Craig Gillies (Retirement)

Last season 11^th. This season 10^th Worcester should be fairly safe this season, however, a few injuries in key positions or a bad start to the season could send the Warriors in to panic mode. Dean Ryan needs to make sure he can hold on to his playing staff for next season, something which often proved challenging for former coach Richard Hill.

Aviva Premiership Prediction

1.       Leicester

2.       Saracens

3.       Harlequins

4.       Northampton Saints

5.       Gloucester

6.       London Wasps

7.       Bath

8.       Exeter

9.       Sale Sharks

10.   Worcester Warriors

11.   London Irish

12.   Newcastle Falcons

Top point scorer: Freddie Burns (Gloucester)

Top try scorer: Christian Wade (London Wasps)

How do you think your side will get on this season? Comment bellow or message me on twitter @tommyd91