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

Adam Ashley-Cooper’s late converted try levels the Test Series - Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 15

The Second Test was a tense affair with much less flowing attacking rugby from deep and more negative, defensive rugby played with a strong kick-chase and a focus on the breakdown. Australia just edged the battle in the scrum with Mako Vunipola struggling against the mighty Ben Alexander. The Lions had the edge in the driving maul in the early stages, however, Tom Youngs’ delivery in to the line-out was poor and the visitors could not secure possession at crucial periods of the game. The match was a real battle between the goal kickers with Christian Leali'ifano for Australia and Leigh Halfpenny for the Lions; however, Ashley-Cooper’s score just gave the home side the edge meaning the final test in Sydney decides the series.

The Lions edged the first half with Halfpenny slotting four penalty kicks to Leali’ifano’s three. The Welsh goal kicking marksman missed one attempt in the first period, with a long-range effort just rebounding off the bar. The Lions won early favour with referee Craig Joubert, his ruling at the breakdown favoured the visitors initially and he credited the powerful driving maul with penalties when it was cynically dragged down twice in the first half by the Wallabies.

Jonathan Sexton was kicking well out of hand and the returning Tommy Bowe on the right wing was chasing and competing for the high ball, causing problems for Kurtley Beale at full back. This gave the Lions a few chances in the first half, but the visitors could not find the pass needed to unlock the Aussie defence. Warren Gatland’s side struggled to put together many phases with simple unforced errors creeping in to their attacking play.

Brian O’Driscoll put in some fine hits in the first 40 minutes, however, he nearly gave away a costly score as a miss-guided pass went straight in to the giant hands of Israel Folau. The two-time try scorer from the first test galloped up-field, however, the Lions pulled him down and gave away a penalty instead of a try.

The first half finished with the Lions holding a slender 12-9 lead without having impressed in the set-piece.

The intensity increased in the second half, with both sides keen to win the physical battle at the breakdown and on the gain-line. Connor Murray came on for Ben Youngs and scrum-half and immediately won a crucial turnover and penalty for the Lions. The most galvanising moment of the match for the crowd was when the monstrous winger George North collided with Folau and proceeded to pick up his opposite number and drive him backwards. The former Scarlet nearly injured himself in the process, but he got one over his opposite number and will make the highlight reel this week.

Must be something in the water in Wales: North lifts Folau with ease

The Lions found their feet with a well-driven scrum and Halfpenny extended the visitors’ lead to six points after 64 minutes. Travelling support knew that this lead would not hold and hoped for a try to close-out the game.

In the final ten minutes of the game, the Australians threw everything at the Lions and for several minutes were just meters away from the try-line. A stoic effort from the likes of Sam Warburton – who sadly limped off injured after being cleared out by three Australian loose-forwards and Jamie Heaslip could not prevent the inevitable.

Utility back James O’Connor who still is yet to prove himself as an international No.10, managed to hold Jonathan Davies’ attention for long enough before finding Adam Ashley Cooper in the wide channel, who crashed over from five metres out. Sadly, Davies did not trust O’Driscoll – his inside man, and did not drift in defence to cover the NSW Waratahs 79-time-cap Wallaby.

With just minutes remaining on the clock, Leali'ifano had to nail the conversion to seal the match for the Wallabies. He split the uprights, giving the visitors only a few phases of play to try and win-back the match. It was a pleasing comeback for the centre - who lasted only 45 seconds in the first test before succumbing to injury.

The Lions won promising field position after Will Genia – who had a fantastic game for the home side, passed the ball back in to the 22 and Australia cleared the ball on the full. However, the visitors could not secure possession from the line-out and the Australians cleared the ball long after winning a penalty at the breakdown.

Despite this, the Lions had one more chance after Murray took a penalty quickly and edged Gatland’s pride towards the Australian half. Joubert awarded the visitors a penalty and Halfpenny stepped up to take the 53 metre kick. Personally, I felt this was the wrong call as the Cardiff full back had hit the bar with an effort from approximately 48 metres out. The Lions should have tried to play on and force a penalty from ten metres closer to the posts.

However, with adrenalin pumping and a spot of luck, anything could happen. Sadly Halfpenny – who should deservedly be named ‘Man of the Series’ struck the ball well and on the right line, but did not quite have the legs to carry the full distance. Genia kicked the ball dead and the hosts won their first test of the series.

Full time: Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 14.

Man of the match: Christian Leali'ifano (Australia) after the Wallabies lost the First Test missing 14 points from the tee, the centre held his nerve on his comeback match in the biggest game of his career. Three penalties and the winning conversion made the difference on the night for the Australians. Leali’ifano also made himself a nuisance in the breakdown and put in some terrific tackles to prevent the Lions from advancing at key stages.

What did you make of the Second Test? Do you think Australia deserved to win? Who will win the final test? Comment below or send me a message on twitter @tommyd91

Lions hold on to sneak victory in the First Test in Brisbane 23-21

Have a safe trip: Kurtley Beale slipped with his second attempt to land a winning penalty for the Aussies.

The Lions looked to make a promising start in Brisbane, with early pressure in the Australian 22. However, when a penalty advantage ended, the Wallaby back-row turned the ball over, forced a penalty of their own and the quick-witted Will Genia broke up the field with a quick tap. His 50 metre break and well judged chip for Israel Folau on his debut dealt the visitors an early sucker-punch. James O’Connor added the conversion to give the home side an early 7-0 lead.

Shortly after this, Leigh Halfpenny opened his side’s account with a early penalty to settle the travelling support’s nerves. It did not take the visitors long to score their first try. A loose kick from Berrick Barnes was well gathered by George North on his own 50 metre line. The Northampton-bound winger rounded Pat McCabe and then narrowly avoided O’Connor’s tap-tackle. The Northampton bound speedster stumbled, but kept his balance and rounded Barnes before cheekily taunting Genia as he touched down in the left-hand corner. Leigh Halfpenny continued his mesmerising form from the tee with the touchline conversion to take the Lions in to a three point lead.

Shortly after this, North looked to be in for another score, however, his left elbow stroked the touchline on grounding the ball and the TMO denied him a dream second try in his first Lions Test.

Halfpenny added a further penalty as Warren Gatland’s side started to work their way in to the match and applied plenty of pressure on the Australians.  However, Ben Mowen found debutant Folau on the right-hand wing and the Waratah stepped and sped his way past a hapless Lions defence. O’Connor missed the conversion in an inconsistent day of kicking for the home side.

Sadly, a thrilling half of rugby was soured by early injuries to Christian Leal’ifano who only managed 50 seconds of his debut and full-back Barnes who took a head-on collision from team mate Folau. The scores finished Australia 12 Lions 13 at half-time.

Gatland’s team talk worked its magic as the Lions made a bold start in the second half. Alex Cuthbert carved through the Australian defensive line past O’Connor and Michael Hooper to score after Jonathan Sexton put him through for a try following a well-worked backs move. Halfpenny added the simple conversion to put the visitors in a commanding position.

The Australians replied with penalties from O’Connor and Kurtley Beale on a day where the home team missed 14 points from the tee.  Halfpenny only missed one effort in the match and this ultimately proved the difference. He added another penalty after 63 minutes.

With only 13 minutes left on the clock, Beale who has been in the headlines over the past year for the wrong reasons made a crucial kick to narrow the gap to just two points.

It was to be a tense final ten minutes, with Australia piling as much pressure in the Lions’ half as possible. Beale had two efforts at goal to win the match for the Aussies; however, he pushed one kick wide and slipped with the final effort of the match.

It was cruel luck for the full-back s the winning kick would have been some kind of redemption for the troubled playmaker. However, the ball dropped miserably short and the Lions won only their second Test in nine matches 23-21.

The First Test matched the hype and expectation that the tour anticipated, however, the Lions will be worried that they were outplayed at the breakdown and that they were beaten wide on the counter attack on two occasions. Positives for the visitors were that the Welsh back-three are World Class and on occasions, the scrum was devastating. More consistency in the set-piece and more brutality and speed at the breakdown will secure the Lions the tour series.

The Australians rued their missed kicks at goal, if just one of their efforts had sailed between the posts they would have won. Goal kicking is vital at the top level. You can imagine that there will be lots of practice this week from the tee for the Wallabies, while Halfpenny will be proud of his exemplary record.

Man of the Match: George North (British and Irish Lions) Jim Mallinder will be delighted to have secured the former Scarlet’s signature for this season. The imposing winger has try-scoring ability from anywhere on the pitch and his devastating pace and build is a real weapon for the Lions. He scored one wonderful try and narrowly missed out on a second.

What did you make of the First Test? Did the Lions deserve to edge the game or were the Aussies unlucky to lose on poor goal kicking? Post below or message me on twitter @tommyd91

Ahead of the first Test against Australia on Saturday who has impressed so far for the British and Irish Lions? Who deserves a starting place in Brisbane?

The 2013 Lions Tour is in full-flow and the Test team seems to be writing itself. High-scoring routs have proved very little in real terms in relation to the Test series, but some individuals have stood out. With the first Test against Australia, just days away now, who has impressed for the British & Irish Lions and who deserves a starting place?

The back-row is the most contentious area on the team sheet, with Warren Gatland undoubtedly suffering selection headaches. Sam Warburton appears to have found some good form at short notice and his leadership qualities earns him the No. 7 shirt. Tom Croft’s athleticism edges the battle on the blind-side flank ahead of Dan Lydiate, the tackling machine. If the Test against the Wallabies break-down and space appears out wide, then Croft is the man to capitalise on this. He is also an agile option in the line-out and gets through a tremendous amount of work. The No. 8 shirt should be given to Jamie Heaslip, although he has been given more of a chance behind a dominant pack. Toby Faletau is an outstanding impact player from the bench and the Australian pack will not enjoy seeing his imposing figure on the touchline with 20 minutes or so to go.

Leadership and set-piece ability are crucial in the second-row, so unsurprisingly Gatland should look to veteran Lion Paul O’Connell and Alun-Wyn Jones. The Munster talisman has 85 Irish caps while the Ospreys set-piece guru has 70 Welsh caps to his name. This balance of guile and bulk in the second row will be vital to success in the Test series. So far, the line-out has been unconvincing. However, with two of the best target jumpers in the business, the starting hooker’s job is much easier. Both players featured in the last tour to South Africa and get through plenty of work around the park. Also, with Geoff Parling on the bench, Gatland can call upon a dynamic line-out caller and a real war-horse to close out a Test match.

The Lions front-row suffered early injuries to Cian Healey and Gethin Jenkins, however, Mako Vunipola seems to have made the No.1 shirt his own thanks to his work in the loose. The Saracen prop has plenty of work to do in the scrum, but he has done enough to prove his power with ball in hand. Hooker is a problem position at present, Dylan Hartley would have walked in to the Test team at the moment, however, he is suspended and the battle is between Tom Youngs and Richard Hibbard with Rory Best disappointing in the 14-12 defeat to the Brumbies on Tuesday.  Hibbard just about beats Youngs to the starting shirt as his line-out throwing has been slightly more consistent than his Leicester competitor. At tight-head prop, Dan Cole has impressed both in the loose and in the set-piece. He gives away far fewer penalties than he used to and is adding to his game with important carries in open-play. Adam Jones is a very experienced alternative and perhaps is a stronger scrummager, however, he is a less dynamic player in the loose. The set-piece is crucial in the Test series so Jones' experience just gives him the shirt on past pedigree. Matt Stevens can do a job when called upon, but lacks the dynamism and fitness needed to be really explosive and dangerous at the top-level nowadays.

The halfbacks should be filled by Mike Phillips, who played in the Lions Series in South Africa and Jonathan Sexton, who is bound for Racing Metro next season. Phillips adds a real physical dimension from scrum-half and has proved to be a potent threat around the fringes. He picked up two tries against the Barbarians in Hong Kong and his try-scoring ability should create space for others around him. Sexton seems to have the No.10 shirt to himself without much competition from Owen Farrell who has struggled to find form in the closing stages of the season and in Australia. While the Saracen utility-back has kicked well from the tee, his game management and passing has been poor. Sexton has looked dangerous with ball in hand and has put the Lions in the right areas of the field while playing he ball wide at the right time with real accuracy.  Also, with Leigh Halfpenny in a rich vein of goal-kicking form, Sexton can concentrate on his accuracy with kicking from hand and on unlocking the Australian defence.

Expect to see an entirely Welsh back three if fitness permits: George North, Alex Cuthbert and Leigh Halfpenny have once again proved their value in attack, while looking assured in defence for the majority of the time. Halfpenny’s goal kicking has been outstanding - his metronomic accuracy in the match against Western Force has the Aussies worried about giving away penalties in the Test series. He nailed 9 conversions and two penalties from all over the pitch. Cuthbert has a devastating try-scoring record for Wales with 9 tries in just 18 Tests and he has also started well in Australia with two tries against the Barbarians and one against the Combined Country XV.  North has yet to hit his full potential on this tour as a niggling injury has prevented him from shining. However, when he has played he has created space for his team mates and added much needed physicality in the back-line, especially considering Jamie Roberts will miss the first test due to injury.

In the centres, Brian O’Driscoll proves that he is ageless, despite losing a yard of pace, his runs from deep allow him time to pick perfect running lines and he knows exactly where to position him self in supporting roles. Sadly Roberts misses the first Test due to injury, the qualified Doctor was in fine form and had the No.12 shirt nailed on before he succumbed to a badly pulled hamstring. Luckily, fellow countryman Jonathan Davies is a viable option at 12 or 13, the Scarlet has crossed for a couple of tries this summer and he looks to be distributing the ball well and proving to be a nuisance in defence. England’s Manu Tuilagi has been out with a ‘stinger’ injury to his shoulder, yet may feature from the bench against Australia. The Leicester bulldozer has plenty more to give on this tour, so hopefully he will recover fully in the near future.

With this in mind, my starting British and Irish Lions Test Team would be:

1.       Mako Vunipola

2.       Richard Hibbard

3.       Adam Jones

4.       Alun-Wyn Jones

5.       Paul O’Connell

6.       Tom Croft

7.       Sam Warburton (Captain)

8.       Jamie Heaslip

9.       Mike Phillips

10.   Jonathan Sexton

11.   George North

12.   Jonathan Davies

13.   Brian O’Driscoll

14.   Alex Cuthbert

15.   Leigh Halfpenny (Goal-kicker)

Who do you think has impressed so far and who do you think deserves a starting place? Have you got any thoughts or comments? Post them below or message me on twitter @tommyd91