Bath
Ground The Recreation Ground
Last season 11th
Captain Danny Grewcock
Coaching Michael Foley/Brian Smith
Internationals 17 (10 England)
New signings: Ross Blake (Bristol), Alessio Galasso (Montferrand), Jonathan Humphreys (Cardiff), Chris Malone (Exeter), Adam Vander (Bristol)
The Rec has been an unhappy place for coaches recently. Suddenly they're all Australian - four in all, including the fitness and skills experts - and all under the sometimes-benevolent gaze of Jack Rowell, who has returned to his old home. Getting the right chemistry on the field may depend on the chemistry off it.
Bristol
Ground The Memorial Ground
Last season 8th
Captain Ross Beattie
Coaching Peter Thorburn
Internationals 13 (6 England)
New signings: Martin Shaw (Sale), Scott Morgan (Llanelli), Peter Richards (Treviso)
Few moves on the transfer front, but maybe they don't need many, with four internationals in the front row, powerful locks and arguably the Premiership's top half-back combination in Agustin Pichot and Felipe Contepomi. Jason Little has left, but young backs such as Phil Christophers and Andrew Higgins are ready to come through. The Shoguns won't win the title - but they are always likely to trouble the best.
Gloucester
Ground Kingsholm
Last season 3rd
Captain Phil Vickery
Coaching Nigel Melville/Dean Ryan
Internationals 11(6England)
New signings: Simon Amor (Cambridge Univ), Peter Buxton (Newport), Thinus Delport (Natal)
A reunion of the old Wasps players Melville and Ryan puts an English duo in charge - but many of Philippe Saint-André's Frenchmen remain. A full-back who can kick - the pacy Delport - and a big back row seem to have been the only requirements - otherwise stability is the key. The commanding boot of Ludovic Mercier will, as ever, feature prominently.
Harlequins
Ground Stoop Memorial Ground
Last season 9th
Captain Jason Leonard
Coaching Mark Evans/John Kingston/ Paul Turner
Internationals 14 (7 England)
New signings: André Vos (The Cats), Laurent Gomez (Montferrand), Nathan Williams (Stade Français), Pablo Cardinalli (Buenos Aires), Viliame Satala (Mont de Marsan), Simon Miall (Oxford Univ), Seb Fitzgerald (Oxford Univ)
The career-ending injury to flanker David Wilson was a major blow and Vos, a straight replacement, is one of the Premiership's biggest forward signings. With Leonard as captain it suggests a tougher Quins - but isn't that always the promise?
Leeds
Ground Headingley
Last season 12th
Captain Mike Shelley
Coaching Phil Davies/Jon Callard
Internationals 12 (3 England)
New signings: Gordon Ross (Edinburgh), Diego Albanese (Gloucester), Stewart Campbell (Treviso), George Harder (Auckland), Derek Hegarty (Munster), Mark Regan (Bath), Alan Dickens (Sale)
A side badly needing reinforcement gets some, with the biggest of their new signings ex-England hooker Regan; and another former Bath man, Jon Callard, will surely respond to a new coaching opportunity. But will it be enough for the side who lost their last seven games last season, and now start at home to Leicester?
Leicester
Ground Welford Road
Last season 1st
Captain Martin Johnson
Coaching Dean Richards/John Wells
Internationals 17 (10 English).
New signings: Franck Tournaire (Toulouse), Tom Tierney (Munster), Gareth Raynor (Hull RL), Rhys Williams (Hong Kong)
Home-grown coaches and captain underline a stability that none other can match. Matchless too is a pack containing seven current England forwards - and bolstered by Tournaire, one of the several French props enticed to the Premiership. But a lack of depth at fly-half means a big reliance on Austin Healey, which the big little man will relish.
London Irish
Ground Madejski Stadium
Last season 4th
Captain Ryan Strudwick
Coaching Brendan Venter/Gary Gold
Internationals 12 (5 England)
New signings: Nick Burrows (Harlequins), Robert Casey (Leinster), Pierre Durant (Saracens), Mark Mapletoft (Harlequins), Pieter Rossouw (Western Province), Paul Gustard (Leicester)
The South African influence remains strong. But with few big signings other than Rossouw the so-called Irish magic - otherwise known as Brendan Venter - will have to work overtime to fashion once more a dynamic team from so few stars. Their judgement in signing a number of cast-offs will be central to that potential success.
Newcastle
Ground Kingston Park
Last season 6th
Captain Jonny Wilkinson
Coaching Steve Bates/Andrew Blades
Internationals 8 (2 England)
New signings: James Grindal (Leicester), Steve Brotherstone (Northampton), Joe Shaw (Northampton), Mark Wilkinson (Gateshead RL), Soa Otuvaka (Tynedale)
Once, they won the title with their dynamic forward pack. But recently they've been suffering up front, while their young backs have prospered. They needed to replace, twice over, icons like Pat Lam and Doddie Weir, but don't appear to have. A big challenge for Blades, the Aussie prop and forwards coach.
Northampton
Ground Franklin's Gardens
Last season 5th
Co-Captains Budge Pountney John Leslie
Coaching Wayne Smith
Internationals 17 (7 England)
New signings: Bruce Reihana (Waikato), Mark Connors (Queensland), Oriol Ripol (R'ham), Steve Williams (Ldn Irish), Simon Hepher (Colomiers)
As 10 players leave, the Saints have also been one of the most active on this year's limited transfer scene. Reihana, who can play wing, fullback or fly-half, may be the season's most exciting newcomer. Provided Paul Grayson can keep up the pace at fly-half, the Saints look a threat to Leicester.
Sale
Ground Heywood Road
Last season 2nd
Captain Bryan Redpath
Coaching Jim Mallinder
Internationals 11 (5 English)
New signings: Graeme Bond (ACT Brumbies), Rowen Shepherd (Glasgow), Nick Walshe (Saracens)
The acquisition of Bond, a Super 12 winner with ACT in 2001 and a recent Wallaby selection at wing or centre, sharpens the cutting edge of an already dangerous backline that contains seven of their 11 internationals. But can they repeat, or even improve upon, their league standing without any reinforcement of an apparently underweight pack?
Saracens
Ground Vicarage Road
Last season 10th
Captain Kyran Bracken
Coaching Wayne Shelford/Tim Wright
Internationals 17 (4 England)
New signings: Christian Califano (Auckland), Andy Goode (Leicester), Johnny Marsters (Swansea), Nicky Little (Pontypridd), Joe Ross (Worcester), Craig Quinnell (Cardiff), Morgan Williams (Stade F), Craig Yandell (Narbonne)
Adding Califano and Quinnell more than compensates for the loss of Scott Murray; and with the Cook Islander Marsters it looks as if Saracens have made the biggest forward gains. Canadian Williams is a lively addition at scrum-half, but one of their new fly-halfs will need to come through.
Wasps
Ground Adams Park
Last season 7th
Captain Lawrence Dallaglio
Coaching Warren Gatland/Shaun Edwards
Internationals 15 (11 England)
New signings: Rob Howley (Cardiff)
The solitary signing is a big one, but Howley brings to just four the number of non-England internationals. That's the lowest in the Premiership - a big contrast with Saracens, among others - and Wasps could be a bit under-powered. No doubt Gatland and Dallaglio will look to get the best out of the pack, and once again much will depend on the form and fitness of Wasps' gifted fly-half, Alex King.
