Bath

Ground: Recreation Ground (Capacity 9,000).

Coaches: Andy Robinson, Clive Woodward.

Captain: Andy Nicol.

Players In: Ieuan Evans (from Llanelli), Mark Regan (Bristol), Russell Earnshaw (West Hartlepool).

Players Out: Neil McCarthy, Ian Sanders (both Gloucester), Will James (Moseley, loan), Graham Dawe (Sale).

Irish Players: Brian Cusack, Simon Geoghegan.

Prospects: Have regrouped and recruited impressively after drawing a blank for only the second time in 14 years last season when John Hall was sacked and Brian Ashton quit; though still a strong-finishing second, with 242 points in four successive matches last April accounting for Leicester, Orrell, Sale and Gloucester. A host of big-name players begin the season injured - Geoghegan, Evans (pictured), Guscott amongst them - Bath have the strength in depth with 21 internationals to compete on all fronts.

Bristol

Ground: The Memorial Ground (10,000).

Coach: Alan Davies.

Captain: Robert Jones.

Players In: Kevin Dunn (Wasps), John Wakeford (Cardiff), Michael Worsley (Orrell), Gareth Baber, Steve Pearce (both Aberavon), David Lee (Cork Constitution).

Players Out: Mark Regan (Bath), Simon Shaw (Wasps), Martin Corry (Leicester), Dave Hinkins (Bedford), Craig Barrow (Exeter), Richard Smith (Sale), Dave Bennett (Clifton), Andrew Wadley, Ralph Knibbs (both Coventry).

Irish Players: Paul Burke, David Corkery (pictured), Kevin Maggs, Barry McConnell.

Prospects: Like London Irish, they survived via the play-offs last season. Without a sugar daddy, Bristol saw English international trio Mark Regan, Simon Shaw and Martin Corry quit the club, along with key backroom men Ralph Knibbs and Mark Tainton. Will need all the Welsh guile of their coach and captain to survive again.

Gloucester

Ground: Kingsholm (10,500).

Rugby Director: Richard Hill.

Captain: Pete Glanville.

Players In: Philippe Saint-Andre, Raphael Saint-Andre (both Montferrand), Terry Fanolua (Western Samoa), Richard Tombs (New South Wales), Ian Sanders, Neil McCarthy (both Bath), Nick Osman (Newbury), Andrew Gibbs (Northlands, New Zealand).

Players Out: Paul Holford (Worcester), Don Caskie, John Hawker (both Cheltenham), Charlie Mulraine (Moseley), Eral Anderson (Stourbridge RU, Hull RL), Peter Hart (Waterloo).

Prospects: Tom Walkinshaw's money has strengthened the hand of another sporting Hill, the well-regarded coach Richard Hill, who has augmented a good home-grown pack with some exotic new backs. Will suffer less than most from international call-ups, though their one capped forward, hooker Phil Greening (pictured), along with lock Dave Sims are sidelined early on.

Harlequins

Ground: Stoop Memorial (8,500).

Rugby Director: Andy Keast.

Captain: Keith Wood.

Players In: Laurent Belligoi (Bourgoin), Danny Bull (Edinburgh Academicals), Massimo Cuttitta (Milan), Rob Hitchmough (Orrell), Rob Liley (Leicester), Tulsen Tollett (London Broncos RL).

Players Out: Steve Pilgrim (London Welsh), Mick Watson (London Scottish), Andy Mullins (retired).

Irish Players: Keith Wood, Jim Staples.

Prospects: Italian, French and Australian summer arrivals augment Quins' already cosmopolitan feel. The free-running Hitchmough could press the injury-prone Staples for the fullback slot. Wood (pictured) will provide inspirational leadership, backed up by Thierry Lacroix as vice-captain. Keast is more popular than the departed and dictatorial Dick Best, though they still look short of title material.

Leicester

Ground: Welford Road (14,900).

Coach: Bob Dwyer.

Captain: Martin Johnson.

Players In: Waisale Serevi, Marika Vunibaka (both Fiji), Fritz van Heerden (Western Province, South Africa), Martin Corry (Bristol), Michael Horak (Perth Reds RL), Jamie Hamilton (London Scottish), Paul Gustard (Blaydon).

Players Out: Steve Hackney, John Liley (both Moseley), Greg Austin (Rotherham), Rob Liley (Harlequins), Rory Underwood, Aadel Kardooni (both Bedford).

Irish Players: Eric Miller, Niall Malone.

Prospects: Victims of a fixture backlog last season, they'll be the wiser now with a full-time squad of 25plus. Serevi (pictured) immediately impressed new team-mates with his quicksilver hands in their Limerick training week. However, their 15-man game is under-developed and their power remains with an all-international pack.

London Irish

Ground: Sunbury (6,800).

Rugby Director: Willie Anderson.

Captain: Tba.

Players In: Mark McCall (Dungannon).

Players Out: Andrew Dougan (Ballymena), Nigel Richardson (Worcester).

Prospects: Though they did well to hold on to everyone, Davidson (pictured) especially, in theory Irish are none the stronger than when surviving through the play-offs last season. Against that Anderson is here from the start, as is Hogan, while the brilliant O'Kelly is fully recuperated and may have to be accommodated at number eight. If the gifted Humphries can begin this season as he finished last, they will be stronger. More escapology may be required.

Newcastle

Ground: Kingston Park (6,900).

Rugby Director: Rob Andrew.

Coach: Steve Bates.

Captain: Dean Ryan.

Players In: Jim Naylor (Orrell), David Barnes (West Hartlepool), Maurice Fitzgerald (Biarritz).

Players Out: Andrew Blyth (Northampton), Matt Tetlow (Sale), Steve Douglas, Ross Wilkinson (both Northern).

Irish Players: Ross Nesdale, Nick Popplewell (pictured).

Prospects: Could field a backline of six Lions and one former All Black, with another five internationals up front and have plenty of cover and money at their disposal. Yet they look a bit long in the tooth for the 22game haul and will find the game-to-game intensity of this campaign sharply contrasting to last season's promotion jaunt.

Northampton

Ground: Franklin Gardens (9,000).

Rugby Director: Ian McGeechan.

Coach: Paul Larkin.

Captain: Tim Rodber.

Players In: Andrew Blyth (Newcastle).

Players Out: Michael Dods (Gala), Gavin Walshe (Ireland).

Irish Players: Jonathan Bell.

Prospects: Generally rated the longest shots of the nine title contenders, despite their pride of five Lions and McGeechan (pictured). Keith Barwell's millions may yet entice Scott Gibbs or Jason Leonard, but Gregor Townsend has an escape clause if he doesn't nail down the out-half slot and Northampton did not beat one of this division's opposition away from home last season.

Richmond

Ground: Athletic Ground (8,000).

Rugby Director: John Kingston.

Captain: Ben Clarke.

Players In: John Davies, Barry Williams (both Neath), Matthew Pini (Australia), Agustin Pichot, Rolando Martin (both Argentina), Dominic Chapman (Harlequins), Jason Wright (Otago), Craig Gillies (Bath).

Players Out: Steve Atherton (Natal).

Prospects: Have strengthened their options even more than Newcastle during the summer, with Martin adding to a huge back-row of the Quinnells and Ben Clarke, while Pini (pictured) might be the Wallaby fullback but for Burke. They may go better, though like their partners in promotion, Richmond are not in the first flush of youth and may find the top tier a bit of a culture shock.

Sale

Ground: Heywood Road (7,500).

Coach: John Mitchell.

Captain: Jim Mallinder.

Players In: Chris Murphy (West Hartlepool), Shane Howarth (New Zealand), Matt Tetlow (Newcastle), Kevin Ellis (Bridgend), Richard Smith (Bristol), John Devereux (Widnes RL), Graham Dawe pictured (Bath).

Players Out: Neil Ryan, Mark Warr, Darren Wright (all Orrell), Christian Saverimutto (Leeds), Alan Yates (Wakefield), Dewi Morris (retired).

Irish Players: David Erskine, Dylan O'Grady.

Prospects: An untouted collection of ex-rugby league players, Kiwis and non-international home players excelled themselves before Leicester ultimately denied them of a European spot and the Pilkington Cup. The inspiration Dewi Morris must be a big loss, though Mitchell will demand and may get another strong season.

Saracens

Ground: Vicarage Road (22,000).

Coaches: Francois Pienaar, Mark Evans.

Captain: Tony Diprose.

Players In: Ryan Constable, Brad Free (both Queensland), Brendan Daniel (Bay of Plenty, New Zealand), Alex Bennett (Orrell).

Players Out: Gary Clark (Worcester), Tony Daly (returned to Australia), John Buckton (Barking).

Irish Players: Paddy Johns, Paul Wallace.

Prospects: Another tradition-breaking ground-sharing arrangement, masterminded by owner Nigel Wray, has raised eyebrows and makes this a pivotal season for the north London wannabes. Piennar (pictured), as player-coach, epitomises their desire, Sella and Lynagh add to an impressive on-field trio of leaders, but they under-achieved last season. Virtually anything seems possible.

Wasps

Ground: Loftus Road (19,000).

Rugby Director: Nigel Melville.

Coach: Rob Smith.

Captain: Lawrence Dallaglio.

Players In: Simon Shaw (Bristol), Trevor Leota (Western Samoa), Mark Weedon (Canterbury, NZ), Dinos Alexopoulos (Harlequins).

Players Out: Matt Greenwood (Wakefield), Mike Griffiths (Pontypridd), Kevin Dunn (Bristol).

Irish Players: Rob Henderson, Darren Molloy.

Prospects: Second-season syndrome awaits, for retaining a title is always harder than winning one. Like all good champions, they've brushed up the squad judiciously, with Lions lock Simon Shaw (pictured) and Kiwi lock Mark Weedon making for a mighty new second-row, but they'll probably have to improve again, given Bath and Leicester almost certainly will.