MARK ORDERS

Overall winners: Scarlets:

finalists.

Ospreys:

Leinster

2nd in Conference B, losing

3rd in Conference A, losing quarter finalists

4th in Conference A 6th in Conference B

IT is hard to look beyond Leinster when predicting who will be Guinness PRO14 champions in the coming season.

The Irish province were sublime last term, boasting both quality and depth, allowing them the luxury of resting players without losing momentum. They have seen a few players depart, including Isa Nacewa, Jordi Murphy and Joey Carbery, but they have brought in Australian international wing Joe Tomane and have a lot of quality pushing through from their academy. They will still be the side to beat.

Despite suffering significant losses, among them Tadhg Beirne, John Barclay, Scott Williams and Aled Davies, the Scarlets have recruited well and look strong enough to lead the Welsh challenge, notwithstanding that they could have done without seeing new signing Uzair Cassiem

Cardiff Blues: Dragons:

ruled out for the first month of the season.

The Ospreys have seen Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb depart and may have depth issues in certain positions, especially during Test windows, but if they can settle on a half-back combination and have better luck with injuries they should improve on last season’s disappointing effort, perhaps benefiting from a Shaun Edwards effect, with Wales’ defence coach now working with the former league champions. Maybe they can bag a spot in the semi-final qualifying games.

The challenge for Cardiff Blues is to cope with life after Danny Wilson and Matt Sherratt. The pair oversaw an upturn that brought the Blues European Challenge Cup success. This term, the Arms Park region are in the Champions Cup and it will be intriguing to see how they cope in the top-tier competition while trying to compete in the league. They will push the Ospreys all the way for third place in Conference A.

The Dragons have made a number of decent signings, including Brandon Nansen, Richard Hibbard, Ross Moriarty and Rhodri Williams, and should be better this term: they can hardly be much worse. But it is hard to see them making a massive leap forward. From such a low base, it takes time to seriously kick on.

ROSS HARRIES

(PREMIER SPORTS PRESENTER) Overall winners: Leinster Scarlets: 2nd in Conference B, losing finalists.

Cardiff Blues:

3rd in Conference A, losing quart-finalists

5th in Conference A

6th in Conference B

IT’S so difficult to look beyond Leinster.

Ospreys: Dragons: