Aviva Premiership 2014/15 Round 1 Preview

Welcome to the Aviva Premiership Round 1, the time when the talking stops and the rugby starts, and all the Premiership Clubs showcase what they've been working on over the past few months. 

There was only one appropriate way to start the 2014/15 season and that is at Franklin’s Gardens, the home of the current Aviva Premiership Champions. Underneath the Friday Night Lights the Northampton Saints will host Gloucester Rugby, the atmosphere will be spine-tingling, the noise deafening and the rugby will be electric. The last time that these two met at the Gardens in the domestic competition the home side ran out comfortable 39 – 13 winners however as we all know a lot has changed at Gloucester Rugby since then and with new management and a suite of new players take that result with a pinch of salt. It will be a brutally physical game, up front the duals between Hartley and Hibbard and Afoa and Corbisiero will be colossal. Saints have the larger of the ball carriers with Lawes, Wood and Manoa however Gloucester’s Ben Morgan and Matt Kevesic will certainly be aiming to raise their games in order to impress their new management and indeed Stuart Lancaster. Both sides house an abundance of riches in the backs, from Foden and North to Cook and May, any back from either side has the ability to single-handedly change the game. Facing the Champions at home is a huge test for David Humphreys and his new side, the last time the Saints lost their opening fixture of the season was back in 2005 and Gloucester haven’t beaten them at Franklin’s Gardens since 9th Febraury 2013. However times are changing at Gloucester and if they can somehow gain a win on the road it will be one of the most dramatic starts to any Aviva Premiership season. 

On Saturday afternoon the Sale Sharks kick off their new season’s campaign against Bath Rugby. The Sharks’ season last year surprised many outside of the club however it did tail off towards the end as they lost three of their last four Premiership fixtures. That record will matter little now as they have enjoyed a refreshing summer and have some experienced new talent in their squad. Bath Rugby are a side that aren’t afraid of playing away from home, indeed their Semi Final against Harlequins was their only away loss in 2014. They are an ambitious side that haven’t hidden the fact that they believe last season was a huge disappointment. Exactly like Friday night’s game this will be brutal, Bath’s back row, even without the injured Matt Garvey, are ferocious and Sale’s signings have helped take their physicality to a new level with Hines, Lund and of course Captain Braid. The battle of the half backs will be an area to watch with the new likely Sale pairing of Cipriani and Cusiter versus the experienced Stringer and Ford. Both should orchestrate proceedings with poise for their sides and the fly halves will certainly add some individual breathtaking moments. The AJ Bell Stadium is in for a treat on Saturday afternoon because this one should be a close fought game showcasing some expansive running rugby. 

In London, Saracens and Wasps have the honour of opening the 2014 Double Header at Twickenham. Saracens have looked strong throughout their pre-season campaign; as well as their seasoned first choice players other individuals have shone the likes of Petros Du Plessis, Jamie George and Chris Wyles. Wasps are a side that have recruited well over the summer, indeed Dai Young’s business dealings have been praised by many of his fellow Directors of Rugby. The sight of Christian Wade and Tom Varndell on either wing, if both are fit and selected, will be a joy for all Wasps fans and with Joe Simpson, Elliot Daly, Salosi Taagickibau and Rob Miller they have one of the quickest back lines in the entire Premiership. The battle of the back rows will be fascinating, with Nathan Hughes, Jacques Burger, a fit again Will Fraser and James Haskell all expected to be on the pitch the breakdown and the play in the loose will be ferocious. On paper Saracens have more experience and firepower however Wasps should give their London rivals a huge run around and have the potential to cause an upset on that beautiful Twickenham turf.

Welford Road opens its doors for the first time to the Newcastle Falcons and in the Midlands it will be the battle of the Tuilagi’s as Manu, Alesana and Anitelea clash in front of an expectant rugby crowd. Leicester’s dominance at home is mighty; they have been defeated just once at Welford Road in the Aviva Premiership since February 2013 whereas the Newcastle Falcons’ winning record isn’t quite so rosy! Falcons’ Captain Will Welch has emphasised to his side the need to go out there and play ‘without fear’ and to ‘believe’, both things will be vital against a Tigers side that will still be fuming at not being part of the 2014 Aviva Premiership Final. For the home side Freddie Burns must continue where he left off in New Zealand whilst the likes of Goneva, Allen and the aforementioned Tuilagi should be as prolific as ever. For the visitors the pace and vision of Sinoti Sintoi and their own Tuilagis should take their performance level up a notch from last year and up front it will be great to see how Scott Lawson and Kieran Brookes in particular front up against Leicester’s internationals. 

The second of the Double Header fixtures is the more potent rivalry of the two London Derbies between Harlequins and London Irish. The two sides know each other very well and have traded personnel over the summer; Marland Yarde to Harlequins and Tom Guest to Irish. The Exiles don’t have the best record at Twickenham, with just one win in nine matches whereas Harlequins have won all of their past five visits. As always Harlequins’ England contingent will set all of our rugby pulses racing and Joe Marler’s side is an experienced and strong one. London Irish will be boosted by the return to fitness of full back Tom Homer and Halani Aulika. In Aulika’s last full season prior to injury he turned Irish’s scrum into a great weapon and was the club’s top try scorer of the season, his impact is mighty and one that all that Irish can’t wait to have back. On the Twickenham turf it will have all the spice of a derby day fixture and more as these two London sides aim to prove a point to one another and to the rest of the Aviva Premiership. 

The final fixture of the weekend is at the Kassam Stadium where London Welsh welcome the Exeter Chiefs. Our Premiership new boys will have had a tough time waiting all weekend to start their Aviva Premiership Campaign and keeping their nerves in check will be vital.  Rob Baxter’s Chiefs arrive off the back of a very strong pre-season campaign and one in which they’ve focused on closing out matches as opposed to letting them slip in the final twenty minutes. The Chiefs and Welsh both are hard working sides and at the Kassam it will be a relentless battle of wills. Whilst the Chiefs have greater level of Aviva Premiership experience their injury list is slightly worrying already; Dean Mumm, Jack Nowell, Phill Dollman, Dave Lewis and Luke Cowan-Dickie. London Welsh have expressed a desire to impose their own game plan on their visitors instead of simply reacting and that starts from the very first kick off and the very first touch of the ball. It would be an almighty feat if Welsh could start the year off with a win however Exeter will arrive all guns blazing and ready to show that they are streaks ahead of their old Championship rivals.