7 REASONS TO BE EXCITED ABOUT RUGBY’S BIG KICK-OFF
THE new Aviva Premiership campaign is launched tonight in Gloucester and on Tyneside, with a mood of excitement, intrigue and optimism surrounding the elite English league.
The afterglow of an epic Lions tour of New Zealand should provide positive knock-on effects for the domestic scene and the clubs will seek to extend the feelgood factor.
Here, Sportsmail outlines why rugby followers can look forward to plenty of enthralling action in the months ahead…
1 COMPETITIVE EDGE 1
CErTAiNTy is the enemy of all professional sport and there is preciou precious little of it in the Premiership. Exeter shook up the old order by winning the title last season and there are at least four potential champions this time around — Saracens, Wasps, Exeter and Leicester, while other challengers may emerge. This is a league where prized scalps are claimed on a weekly basis. Walkovers are extremely rare. There will be an almighty scrap for play- off places, Champions Cup qualification and survival. There will be tight finishes, tension and drama all the way.
2 STRONG RECRUITMENT
THE top English clubs have greater spending power than ever due to the raising of the salary cap and two marquee players allowance. There has been some canny transfer activity, which will add pedigree and class to the league. Bath have brought in England openside Sam Underhill and it will be fascinating to gauge his progress against rivals for Test selection. Likewise with Piers Francis — the fly- half who has joined Northampton from Auckland Blues. Sale have been particularly busy, signing James O’Connor, Faf de Klerk, Jono ross and Josh Strauss; all quality. Saracens now have giant Wallaby lock Will Skelton full-time, as well as Welsh flier Liam Williams, while Canadian D.T.H van der Merwe is the latest dazzling finisher to join Newcastle.
3 ENGLISH PEDIGREE
WHiLE there will be some stellar imports on show again, the Premiership is founded on a core of homegrown talent, underpinned by the rFU’s successful EnglishQualified Player system, which provides financial incentives. The upshot has been a production line of international contenders and Eddie Jones has capitalised by leading England to a world record-equalling run of wins in 2016-17. The successes of the national team and the large English contingent in the Lions squad adds further credibility to the league. The likes of Maro itoje, Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola are now among the very highestranked superstars of the sport while countless compatriots are rising towards those exalted heights.
4 POPULARITY
THE first weekend of the season will be marked by another London double-header at Twickenham, which shows how the league can grab public interest. There should be a bumper crowd for Saracens v Northampton and London irish v Harlequins, and there are several other grand occasions at HQ and Wembley later in the season which draw big attendances. But the growth of the domestic game has been founded on large weekly gatherings at the regular grounds. Notably, Wasps are attracting up to 30,000 fans for their home games in Coventry, compared to a quarter of that figure not so long ago in Wycombe.
5 BROADENING POWER BASE
SArACENSS had become the pre- eminent force, only to be trumped last season by Exeter. So Devon now have contenders at the top table, while there is real hope for a northern renaissance, with Newcastle under Dean richards and Sale capable of shaking up the status quo with their reinforced squad and budget. East Midlands pair, Leicester and Northampton, have had a dip but can come again — the same goes for Bath. Power is spread evenly around the land. ExETErE have gone fromfr being ambitious newcomersnewco to the titleholders — there to be shot at. According to head coach rob Baxter, they will embrace that altered status. ‘The thing i’m most looking forward to is seeing which guys stand up and show the qualities of a champion,’ he said. ‘i am certainly not going to make any predictions, but i am not afraid of talking about the fact that we want to win another Premiership.’
7 ENTERTAINMENT
FirST and foremost, all the clubs will target results results, yet there is a shift towards attack. The arrival of Williams at Saracens will enhance their ability to play fast and loose when the mood takes them, while two other title contenders, Wasps and Exeter, are well known for their willingness to play with daring and high-octane flair. With George Ford back and Jonny May on board, Leicester will join in. Bath are well capable of fireworks, so too Harlequins, Newcastle, Sale and others. There should be tries aplenty.