Who's who in new Premiership season

SPOTLIGHT: The 2024/25 Premiership season kicks off on Friday with a repeat of last season’s final between Bath and Northampton at The Recreation Ground, while Bristol travel to Newcastle.

Saints will defend the title they won at Twickenham in June, which was their first Premiership crown since 2014.

Here, the PA looks at the 10 runners and riders, including player signings and departures:

BATH

Ground: Recreation Ground
Head of rugby: Johann van Graan
Last season: Beaten finalists
Title odds: 3/1
Players in: Ross Molony (Leinster), Francois van Wyk (Leicester), Guy Pepper (Newcastle).
Players out: Josh McNally (Cardiff), Matt Gallagher (Benetton), Johannes Jonker (Grenoble), Elliott Stooke (Red Hurricanes Osaka), Chris Cloete, GJ van Velze (both retired).

BRISTOL BEARS

Ground: Ashton Gate
Rugby director: Pat Lam
Last season: 5th
Title odds: 10/1
Players in: Viliame Mata (Edinburgh), Lovejoy Chawatama (Harlequins).
Players out: Kyle Sinckler (Toulon), Callum Sheedy, Dan Thomas (both Cardiff), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh), Piers O’Conor (Connacht), Virimi Vakatawa (released).

EXETER CHIEFS

Ground: Sandy Park
Rugby director: Rob Baxter
Last season: 7th
Title odds: 12/1
Players in: Tamati Tua (Brumbies), Kwenzo Blose (Stormers), Jimmy Roots, Will Goodrick-Clarke (both Ealing Trailfinders).
Players out: Alec Hepburn (Scarlets), Patrick Schickerling (Glasgow), Ollie Devoto (Taunton), Jeremy Tuima (Provence).

GLOUCESTER

Ground: Kingsholm
Rugby director: George Skivington
Last season: 9th
Title odds: 40/1
Players in: Tomos Williams (Cardiff), Gareth Anscombe (unattached), Christian Wade (Racing 92), Alfie Petch (Biarritz).
Players out: Adam Hastings (Glasgow), Santiago Socino (Agen), Jonny May (Soyaux Angouleme), Fraser Balmain (Saracens), Alex Hearle (Newcastle), Harry Elrington (released).

HARLEQUINS

Ground: Twickenham Stoop
Rugby director: Billy Millard
Last season: 6th
Title odds: 8/1
Players in: Leigh Halfpenny (Crusaders), Titi Lamositele (Montpellier), Wyn Jones (Scarlets).
Players out: Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks, South Africa), Louis Lynagh (Benetton), Will Collier (Castres), Lovejoy Chawatama (Bristol), Will Edwards, Max Green (both released), Santiago Garcia Botta (retired).

LEICESTER TIGERS

Ground: Woods Welford Road Stadium
Rugby director: Michael Cheika
Last season: 8th
Title odds: 12/1
Players in: Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Corne Beets (Blue Bulls, South Africa), Izaia Perese (New South Wales Waratahs).
Players out: Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks, Japan), Francois van Wyk (Bath), Nic Dolly (Western Force), Kieran Wilkinson (Newcastle), Phil Cokanasiga (Ospreys), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Guy Porter (retired).

NEWCASTLE FALCONS

Ground: Kingston Park
Consultant rugby director: Steve Diamond
Last season: 10th
Title odds: 250/1
Players in: Alex Hearle (Gloucester), Luan de Bruin (Edinburgh), Cameron Neild, Conor Doherty (both Sale Sharks), Kieran Wilkinson (Leicester), Jack Metcalf (Doncaster), Thomas Gordon (Glasgow).
Players out: Phil Brantingham, Louie Johnson (both Saracens), Guy Pepper (Bath), Iwan Stephens, Rory Jennings (both Cardiff), George Wacokecoke (Doncaster), Matias Moroni (released).

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Ground: Franklin’s Gardens
Rugby director: Phil Dowson
Last season: Champions
Title odds: 5/2
Players in: Josh Kemeny (Melbourne Rebels), Callum Hunter-Hill, Tom West (both Saracens).
Players out: Courtney Lawes (Brive), Lewis Ludlam (Toulon), Alex Moon (Bayonne), Sam Matavesi (Lyon), Paul Hill (Edinburgh), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Cardiff), Alex Waller, Ethan Waller, Tom Cruse (all retired).

SALE SHARKS

Ground: Salford Community Stadium
Rugby director: Alex Sanderson
Last season: 3rd
Title odds: 7/1
Players in: Waisea Nayacalevu (Toulon), Will Addison (Ulster), Le Roux Roets (Sharks, South Africa).
Players out: Manu Tuilagi (Bayonne), Sam James (Racing 92), Cameron Neild, Conor Doherty (both Newcastle), Agustin Creevy, Telusa Veainu (both released).

SARACENS

Ground: Allianz Park
Rugby director: Mark McCall
Last season: 4th
Title odds: 3/1
Players in: Fergus Burke (Crusaders), Rhys Carre (Cardiff), Phil Brantingham, Louie Johnson (both Newcastle), Sam Spink (Western Force), Fraser Balmain (Gloucester).
Players out: Owen Farrell (Racing 92), Billy Vunipola (Montpellier), Mako Vunipola (Vannes), Christian Judge (Beziers), Aled Davies (Cardiff), Tom West, Callum Hunter-Hill (Northampton), Ben Harris (Ealing Trailfinders), Logovi’i Mulipola (Doncaster), Tim Swiel, Dom Morris (both released), Sean Maitland, Alex Lewington (both retired).