DISCUSSION POINTS

Last season looked like a big step in the right direction given head coach Johan Ackermann’s high-tempo style. However, Glaws did still fall away at the end of the season, like so many times before, with big losses to Exeter, Bath and Saracens in three of their last four outings harming their final standing in the table.

Now they have doubled down on their adventurous approach. Fly-half Danny Cipriani comes in to sprinkle his magic over an ambitious side, while more South African beef has been imported, with flanker Jaco Kriel and lock Franco Mostert from Super Rugby runners-up the Lions, looking like the picks of the bunch.

And perhaps the biggest coup is collecting cult hero Matt Banahan, who is no stranger to the try-line.