Gallagher Premiership 2018/19 Season Preview
The brand new Gallagher Premiership season kicks off tonight
©PA
If pre-season is anything to go by, then the Gallagher Premiership is going to be an explosive campaign, writes Greg Boon.
We kick off the season with Bath against the rebranded Bristol Bears.
The Bears have flexed their financial muscle bringing in the like of John Afoa and Charles Piutau. They will top the Premiership earnings, but Pat Lam has focused his spending power.
The importance of a tighthead cannot be understated and Afoa is one of the best. Despite the hefty price tag, he is good value for money, will play most games and won’t shirk away from a full 80 minutes. Piutau is a game changer worth two or even three players. Around them, there is a core of experienced top-level players; Jordan Crane, Ian Madigan, Steven Luatua.
Questions will be asked of their pack though. For all the excitement of a backline including some young talented speedsters, the battle for Premiership survival will be won up front so George Smith’s early season influence will be crucial.
Todd Blackadder needs a strong season and anything less than top six for Bath may not be enough to keep him in post.
Last season, Bath simply gave the opposition too much ball. The return of Dave Attwood alongside Luke Charteris, Elliott Stooke and a host of immense front rows, give Bath plenty of bulk but they need more. There’s no doubting the work rate or ability of the players, but do they have the variety to adjust their attack and defence?
Perhaps a need to balance the books, their England tyros will not come cheap and it resulted in a lack of summer activity. Jamie Roberts was the eye-catching signature, along with the signing of powerful winger Joe Cokanasiga from London Irish. The backline won’t be lacking in power given enough ball.
It means the hits from the West Country derby will be measured on the richter scale. Gloucester like Bath have brought in the heavy cavalry. The off seasons big spenders have signed Jaco Kriel, Franco Mostert and Ruan Dreyer from Johan Ackermann’s old side the Lions. They also have an exciting back-line, with Danny Cipriani pulling the strings while Matt Banahan’s size is set to compliment Jason Woodward’s guile.
At the other end of the spectrum is West Country rivals Exeter. Rob Baxter sticks to his tried and tested methods of tinkering with his squad rather than wholesale changes. Alex Cuthbert is a typical Exeter signing and under Baxter’s stewardship, he could be the signing of the season.
Exeter’s development into a domestically dominant force has been secured and now they will be eyeing up success on the continent to join Europe’s elite with the likes of Saracens.
The London based outfit have been typically clinical in their recruitment: Two wingers and a hooker out, two wingers and a hooker in. David Strettle makes a welcome return to Saracens who misfired by their own standards last season. Without Wyles, Saracens needed a winger who knew when to blitz, knew when to hold the line and could react to the men inside of him.
Saracens suffered from a Lions lengthened season and England’s dip in form, but they still came away with the trophy. It is the mark of the best teams; they find a way to win when short of their best.
It’s a skill Wasps need to learn. For all their skill and flair, they were underpowered and far too often, they lose the head to heads. Charlie Mathews and Kieran Brookes are welcome additions, Brad Shields and Nizaam Carr will bring the grunt and physicality to win a game of attrition, but will Lima Sopoaga control a game in the wind and the rain at the AJ Bell and Kingston Park? It’s a big ask in his first season, especially without Jimmy Gopperth’s guiding hand and stabling influence.
The mid-table will be as congested as ever. Harlequins have taken a risk on Paul Gustard and I hope they are patient. Gustard will not bring results instantly, but he will create a culture and ethos that will breed success as changes will take time to imbed. It will feel a very different preseason without Nick Easter and Graham Rowntree; a decision that effectively ends many years of Quins club identity. Fijian backrow Semi Kunatani is a fantastic signing, as is former Saracen Nathan Earle.
Like Harlequins, Northampton Saints are in for a transition season. They have a new coach in the form of Chris Boyd but unlike Harlequins, have kept faith with their club legends Phil Dowson and Alan Dickens to complete the coaching team.
Boyd has a new half back at his disposal. Saints will be hoping he has a similar impact on Dan Bigger to the one he had on Beauden Barrett. Dylan Hartley’s return will be like a new signing, if he can stay fit, and he will be joined by London Irish’s duel World Cup winning All Black Ben Franks. There’s no loss of power on the wing either. George North’s underwhelming stay at Franklin’s Gardens has come to an end with Fijian born Australian international Taqele Naiyaravoro taking his place.
After the promise of last season, Sale Sharks have set expectations high. Nobody wants to see them regress to a static mid table side. Steve Diamond has backed himself to reform another of rugby’s divisive figures in Chris Ashton. It will be interesting if Ashton continues at full back as he did at Toulon, completing an enigmatic and unlikely international back three with Denny Solomona and Marland Yarde.
The Sharks came out on top in the bidding war for Rohan Janse van Rensburg after the Lions back was the target of several other Premiership clubs. The physical centre is another fantastic signing to add to an already impressive squad that includes Faf de Klerk and England’s open side Tom Curry. The challenge for Sale is their strength in depth. Do they have enough talent spread throughout the squad to challenge the likes of Leicester Tigers?
Leicester have been in a state of flux since Cockerill left. Welford Road no longer has an air of invincibility to it and the pack looked under powered last season. Matt O’Connor has gone some way to repairing this with the additions of Guy Thompson and David Denton. They’ve also added to their front row options with Ross McMillan, David Feao and Campese Ma’afu. Whether these players have a meaningful impact on the course of the season remains to be seen.
George Ford’s form will remain one of the Tigers biggest concerns while Kyle Eastmond has been brought in as a second five eight to fill the void left by Toomua and share the load with Ford.
Newcastle will be looking to show that last season was no anomaly. Their recruitment has been understated. Lugobvi’I Mulipola is the headline signing and he will be joined in the front row by George McGuigan who returns to Kingston Park. He will replace Scott Lawson, who is retiring along with Ally Hogg and sadly Scott Wilson. Johnny Williams from relegated London Irish is a superb signing and every inch the Premiership player despite his time in the Championship. Newcastle are bigger than the sum of their parts and their biggest asset is Dean Richards but this summer, they lost pace with their rivals in the transfer market and must hope this doesn’t transfer to the pitch.
At the bottom are perennial strugglers Worcester Warriors. New Director of Rugby Alan Solomons has put together a better squad than we’ve seen in previous seasons. There’s a strong spine to the team in Francois Hougaard and the returning Jono Lance and there’s strength in depth too. Duncan Weir is due to deputise for Lance at fly half, Bryce Heem and Chris Pennell covering full back while in the centres they have Ashley Beck, arriving from Ospreys and South African Venter joining established Warriors Te’o, Ryan Mills and World Cup winner Wynand Olivier.
Overall, Solomons has not been able to bring enough to change the squad. His options in the pack are limited and the majority of players are the same that have struggled in the season. Wholesale changes will take time, realistically Worcester are looking at another three year plan.
