With the Aviva Premiership starting anew this weekend, here’s the second instalment of our preview of the upcoming season – for the first part, click here.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS
Coaches: Dean Richards, Peter Russell, John Wells, Graham Steadman
Key player: currently away with the Pumas at the World Cup, centre/fly-half Juan Pablo Socino was a revelation last season having been signed from lowly Rotherham. A stocky player with excellent game understanding, he’s the ideal man to bring the likes of the Tuilagi brothers, Sinoti Sinoti and new winger Giovanbattista Venditti into the game.
Newbie to watch: Kiwi fly-half Mike Delany could be a very good signing indeed. He’s been something of a dirt-tracker for Clermont for the past two seasons, but should relish his role as first choice at the Falcons. At the age of 33, he’s been around the block, but will bring much-needed stability to the 10 shirt.
Last season: 11th. Having been embroiled in a real relegation scrap with Worcester the year previously, last season’s utter capitulation by London Welsh meant Newcastle could look up rather than down. They still finished 11th, but scored more tries than the three sides above them.
Prediction: 11th. Given some shrewd recruiting, I’d love to back them to finish higher but the fact is there is so much quality elsewhere in the league, it’s difficult to see that happening. They’ll face a tough fight from an ambitious Worcester side to keep their Premiership status.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Coaches: Jim Mallinder, Dorian West, Alex King
Key player: with the departure of Samu Manoa, there is a huge ball-carrying deficit that needs to be picked up. Sam Dickinson looks like the man to do so, becoming first choice number eight as he is. He needs to rediscover the form of a couple of seasons ago, when he burst onto the scene with several power-packed performances.
Newbie to watch: Northampton have recruited really well but their best signing could well be Kieron Brookes from Newcastle. The young tighthead is already an established England squad member and at the age of 25, is young for a prop. He has a huge future ahead of him, and in a Northampton pack that goes forward more often than back, he could thrive.
Last season: 1st (losing semi-finalists). Saints set the early pace and topped the regular standings for much of the season. They combined a powerful pack with some slick backs moves, but they were knocked out by Saracens at home in the semi-final – the exact same fate Saints themselves had inflicted on Sarries two years previously.
Prediction: 3rd. The Saints squad is packed with quality and real strength in depth following a good summer in the market (consider their options at second row: Matfield, Lawes, Paterson, Day). I can see it being similar to last season, in that three sides will set themselves apart and fight for the two home semi-final spots – Saints will be a huge part of that battle.

SALE SHARKS
Coaches: Steve Diamond, Paul Deacon, Mike Forshaw
Key player: Who else could it be other than Danny Cipriani? He had a fine season last year and after missing out on the England World Cup squad, has a point to prove. Like a fine wine he seems to be getting better with age, and given he is still only 27 this could be the year he sets himself apart again and barges back into the England team.
Newbie to watch: It’s been something of a quiet summer at the AJ Bell, with the only signings of note being Peter Stringer and Brian Mujati. The gnarled ex-Racing 92 prop has plenty of Premiership experience from his time as a cult hero at Northampton – and given Sale’s scrummaging woes, he could be a huge asset to them.
Last season: 7th. It was a decent season for Sale, who, until a few weeks before the end of the campaign, were pushing hard for a spot in the top six. They missed out, but there were some fine wins – particularly at home in Salford – along the way.
Prediction: 9th. Their list of players on the out (Cueto, Hines, Paterson, McLean) is longer and more illustrious than those coming in. For that reason, and especially when looking at how much other sides have strengthened over the summer, I think it will be a tough year for them.

SARACENS
Coaches: Mark McCall, Paul Gustard, Alex Sanderson, Kevin Sorrell
Key player: This will be the year of lock/blindside Maro Itoje. Rarely has there been such a strong buzz around so young a player. Even in a pack like Saracens, that has almost unparalleled strength in depth, Itoje will get his share of game time and he will impress. He will be an England international by the end of the season.
Newbie to watch: There have been very few through the door at Allianz Park this summer, but the addition of Samuela Vunisa is an intriguing one. He plays second fiddle to Sergio Parisse in a dilapidated Italian side, but he has been a thorn in several bigger teams’ sides for Treviso down the years. He should lessen the burden on Billy Vunipola.
Last season: 3rd (Champions). Saracens did everything right last season, timing their run to perfection to peak in the play-offs, beating the two sides that finished above them – Northampton and Bath – in consecutive weeks to claim the trophy after 2014’s heartache.
Prediction: 1st. When your squad has this much depth, there is no need to make unnecessary additions. A big, bruising pack – with youngsters like Kruis, George and Itoje only set to get better – with the intelligence of the likes of Wigglesworth, Farrell, Hodgson, Goode and Wyles behind it, is easily enough to win back to back titles.

WASPS
Coaches: Dai Young, Brad Davis, Lee Blackett
Key player: Giant number eight Nathan Hughes was one of the players of last season – he now faces the tricky issue of backing that up this year. If he does, he will feature for England sooner rather than later, given he qualifies on residency soon. Almost a hybrid of Vunipola and Morgan, he’s a genuine rockstar of a player.
Newbie to watch: George Smith takes the headlines but Jimmy Gopperth, who will look to fill the sizeable shirt (sorry) of Andy Goode, could be even more important. With a backline bursting full of talent – Daly, Leuia, Halai, Wade, Piutau – his play-making abilities need to take a step up from what they were at Leinster. But with a metronomic boot, he should fill Goode’s roll with aplomb.
Last season: 6th. A late loss at home to the Tigers all but snuffed out their play-off chances, but in general last season was a huge step in the right direction for Wasps. They finished as the league’s top try scorers with 77, averaging over three per game.
Prediction: 4th. Last seasons’s strategy was largely ‘we’re going to score more points than you’, and it very nearly worked. Given the extra firepower of Halai and Piutau in the backline, and especially with the defensive nous of George Smith added in, this could be the year we see Wasps return to the play-offs.

WORCESTER WARRIORS
Coaches: Dean Ryan, Carl Hogg, Sam Vesty
Key player: It is a more than welcome return to the Premiership for Chris Pennell. There is so much to love about the fullback, who stuck with his one and only club through relegation despite essentially ruining his very promising England prospects at the time. A devastating broken-field runner, he will provide some moments for the highlight reels again.
Newbie to watch: The addition of Phil Dowson is a potentially excellent one. The ex-Northampton Saint has been around the block, and although far from the flashiest player, he possesses the kind of grit and nous that every team needs to be successful in this league.
Last season: Promotion. Worcester won promotion back into the Premiership in the most spectacular of style, beating Bristol across two legs with a last minute converted try in the second game. It was some of the best sporting theatre the sport has seen in recent times.
Prediction: 12th. It feels immensely harsh, given the brilliant work Dean Ryan has done, but they have to start as favourites to go straight back down. They look short of proven quality in the front five (O’Callaghan aside) and in Ryan Lamb and Tom Heathcote they have two fly-halves who, while undoubtedly talented, have been hit and miss in this league in the past. It will be so, so close though.

PREDICTED FINAL TABLE

1. Saracens
2. Bath Rugby
3. Northampton Saints
4. Wasps
5. Exeter Chiefs
6. Leicester Tigers
7. Gloucester Rugby
8. Harlequins
9. Sale Sharks
10. London Irish
11. Newcastle Falcons
12. Worcester Warriors

By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images