Aviva Premiership Ins & Outs
Matthew Emery runs an eye over the big names joining the Premiership action this season
Confidence is high in the West Country after Exeter’s stunning triumph at Twickenham and Rob Baxter has stayed true to his squad by conducting only minimal activity in the market.
With so many big names either trading clubs, retiring or heading overseas, it is intriguing to look at how many of the teams that will actually have a stronger squad going into this campaign than the one that finished the last.
The Chiefs are certainly one of a handful who can legitimately claim they have improved their lineup with stellar signings in Wallaby No.9 Nic White (Montpellier) and Gloucester openside Matt Kvesic. They have lost Geoff Parling to Japan and flanker Tom Johnson has retired, but signs are that Chiefs will be there or thereabouts come May. With all their Englishqualified youngsters a year more experienced, and the Wallabies contingent bedded in, Exeter will benefit from making only a couple of tweaks here and there.
Deposed champions, Saracens, are another who have recruited shrewdly. Monster Wallaby lock Will Skelton and Lions ace Liam Williams lead the way, with experienced Welsh second row campaigner Dominic Day from Melbourne Rebels adding further cover in the second row.
Ex-Northampton flanker Calum Clark is another top signing as the European kings look to absorb the loss of Chris Ashton to Toulon, plus the retirements of stalwarts Kelly Brown, Neil de Kock and Jim Hamilton.
Leicester will be banking on the return of George Ford to spearhead their title bid, with older brother Joe Ford also on board to cover the loss of Owen Williams (Gloucester) and Freddie Burns to Bath. Not much else of note on the ins list, but Matt O’Connor will turn Tigers into different animals this season if centres Matt Toomua and Manu Tuilagi are fit and firing.
With Burns in for Ford, Bath will have their general available weekin, week-out and Todd Blackadder is demanding more consistency from his side this season. Sam Underhill joins from Ospreys after winning his first England cap in Argentina this summer and looks the real deal. With Francois Louw as competition, the 21-year-old will have one of the best No.7s in the world mentoring him.
Sale have, arguably, brought off the best coups in the league with South Africa scrum-half Faf de Klerk and Australia flyer James O’Connor, in addition to Jono Ross, the Stade Francais back-rower who was once in the Harlequins academy.
But veteran scrum-halves Peter Stringer (Worcester) and Mike Phillips leave the club, along with powerhouse Sam Tuitupou, who leaves a big gap in midfield.
Worcester have added Scotland back rower David Denton from Bath and Ethan Waller from Northampton to galvanise a fastimproving pack. Waller has the chance to make a name for himself away from his brother’s shadow at Northampton, where he was also fighting England-capped Paul Hill and Kieran Brookes.
Gloucester look to have lost more big names than they have gained but have focused on improving an underpowered front five with the signings of Fraser Balmain (Leicester Tigers), Val Rapava-Ruskin and Gareth Denman (Northampton Saints). Jason Woodward will add some stardust to the backline after joining from relegated Bristol.
But the departures of Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne), James Hook (Ospreys), Kvesic and Sione Kalamafoni (Leicester) could see the Cherry and Whites drawn into a relegation battle.
Newcastle moved early to secure classy France centre Maxime Mermoz before he joined Leicester on a shortterm deal, and with Toby Flood back to pull the strings, Josh Matavesi to add power up the middle and Canada speedster DTH van der Merwe waiting in the wings, Falcons look primed for a top six finish.
Wasps had the unenviable task of replacing another Wallaby superstar this summer following Kurtley Beale’s decision to return to Sydney. They moved swiftly for another Southern Hemisphere international by snapping up Springbok full-back Juan de Jongh. Wing three-quarter Marcus Watson joins from Newcastle to fill Frank Halai’s place on the roster.
Northampton were dealt the hammer blow of losing No.8 Louis
Picamoles to Montpellier despite a year to run on his contract. Mitch Eadie joins from Bristol to try to plug the gap in a back row hit harder still by Clark’s switch to Saracens. Auckland Blues 10/12 Piers Francis comes in fresh from his England debut against the Pumas. He will be joined by fellow Super 18 standouts Rob Horne (Waratahs), Cobus Reinach (Sharks) and Francois van Wyk (Western Force). Harlequins must replace the irreplaceable after Nick Evans’ move into coaching. Demetri Catrakilis is charged with the job after his switch from Montpellier. Former All Black Francis Saili is another exciting addition and will put heat on Jamie Roberts and Joe Marchant for a starting spot. Stalwart centre Matt Hopper departs to join Oyonnax. Promoted London Irish have signed some superstars as they look to defy the bookies by surviving relegation. Fiji flyer Napolioni Nalaga (Lyon) is the headline act, with Italy No.15 Luke McLean (Benetton Treviso) adding solidity from the back. Veteran tighthead Petrus du Plessis (Saracens) will lock the scrum while Wallaby pair Ben Meehan (Rebels) and Saia Fainga’a (Brumbies) add ballast to the pack which has lost Luke Narraway to Coventry.