With the Premiership starting again this Friday, we take a look at how the teams are shaping up and who will be contending for the play-offs and European places in May.

1. Saracens

It is difficult to look past Saracens topping the table again in May – the reigning European and Premiership champions were in ominous form at the end of last season, steamrolling everyone with their mixture of wolfpack defence and clinical scoring. The have a spine built around key members of the Grand Slam-winning/Aussie-whitewashing English in Kruis, Vunipola x2, Farrell, and of course, Itoje – the guy who didn’t lose a game he started last year.

They have recruited smartly to replace retiring players by bringing in Schalk Burger, Sean Maitland and Alex Lozowski, and while they may not be the headline names that clubs like Tigers and Wasps have brought in, I expect them to repeat at least one of last year’s double.

In: Schalk Burger (Stormers), Mark Flanagan (Bedford Blues), Alex Lozowski (Wasps), Vincent Koch (Stormers), Sean Maitland (London Irish), Save Rawaca (Fiji 7s)

Out: Biyi Alo (to Worcester Warriors), Jacques Burger (retired), Catalin Fercu (to Timisoara Saracens), Rhys Gill (to Cardiff Blues), Charlie Hodgson (retired), Ernst Joubert (retired), Baden Kerr (released), Kieran Longbottom (to Sale Sharks), Nils Mordt (retired), Aaron Morris (to Harlequins) Dave Porecki (to London Irish), Hayden Smith (Esher), Ben Ransom (to London Irish), Max Wilkins (released).

2. Wasps

Wasps flirted with brilliance last year, reaching the play-offs of the Premiership and the semis of Europe – after memorably thrashing Leinster and Toulon in the group stages – before seeming to run out of steam. They have recruited strongly over the summer with an astonishing number of world class players joining them in Coventry – any one of Willie le Roux (challenging Folau for ‘world’s best 15’ not so long ago), Kurtley Beale or Danny Cipriani would have been a coup, but for all three to join a backline already featuring Simpson/Robson at 9, Daly at 13 and Wade/Halai on the wings is a terrifying prospect for any opposition.

Yes they have lost two of their stars from last year in the evergreen George Smith and the bamboozling Piutau at the back, but the incomers will not only compensate but improve their team – and alongside canny additions such as Matt Symons to bolster the second row and Kyle Eastmond (a great player who may not even make a full strength starting team) plus a reinvigorated Nathan Hughes, they look like the side to threaten Saracens’ supremacy.

In: Guy Armitage (London Welsh), Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Tom Cruse (London Irish), Nick De Luca (Biarritz Olympique), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Marcus Garratt (Cornish Pirates), Craig Hampson (Bristol Rugby), Willie Le Roux (Canon Eagles, Arrives in January), Marty Moore (Leinster Rugby), Matt Symons (London Irish), Tommy Taylor (Sale Sharks), Tom Woolstencroft (Bath Rugby)

Out: Lorenzo Cittadini (Bayonne), Bradley Davies (Ospreys), James Downey (retired), Carlo Festuccia (Zebre), Ruaridh Jackson (Harlequins), Ben Jacobs (retired), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Andrea Masi (retired), Charles Piutau (Ulster), Siale Piutau (Yamaha Jubilo), Edd Shervington (retired), George Smith (Suntory Sungoliath & Queensland Reds), Jamie Stevenson (London Scottish).

3. Leicester Tigers
Disclaimer… I am a Tigers fan. However, I will try to avoid any bias and truthfully, Tigers do always seem to find a way to end up in the play-offs, even when they are playing pretty abysmally for much of the season. Last year saw a bit more excitement introduced into their attack, with Aaron Mauger as backs coach probably their most astute signing of recent years.

Their team has also been bolstered, in very un-Tigers style, by some big names. Matt Toomua and JP Pietersen come into a backline, which also includes Youngs, Burns, Williams, Tuilagi, Betham and Tait, and rivals Wasps for the excitement factor. Tigers always have a strong pack and with additions such as England’s new recruit Ellis Genge, they are looking a more complete side than they have in recent years. I expect them to be challenging for silverware this year.

In: Tom Brady (Sale Sharks), Pat Cilliers (Montpellier), Ellis Genge (Bristol Rugby), George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons), JP Pietersen (Stormers), Matt Toomua (Brumbies)

Out: Matias Aguero (Provence Rugby), Seremaia Bai (retired), Tommy Bell (London Irish), Miles Benjamin (retired), Gonzalo Camacho, Jordan Crane (Bristol Rugby), Sebastian de Chaves (London Irish), Jean de Villiers (retired), Jake Farnworth, Leonardo Ghiraldini (Toulouse), Vereniki Goneva (Newcastle Falcons), Christian Loamanu (Provence Rugby), Niall Morris (Leinster Rugby), Tiziano Pasquali (Benetton Treviso), Laurence Pearce (Sale Sharks), Aniseko Sio, George Tresidder (Rotherham Titans), Michael van Vuuren (Bath Rugby), Jake Farnworth (Birmingham Moseley), Opeti Fonua (Newcastle Falcons)

4. Exeter Chiefs
Last season’s ‘nearly’ team have achieved an incredible amount of success, especially given they have only been operating at the top table since 2010. Will they go one better this year? Well they have brought in Greg Holmes and Dave Dennis to reinforce the pack and stolen Ollie Devoto from their West Country rivals to add to their array of midfield talent, which already boasts Henry Slade, Sam Hill and Michele Campagnaro.

Alongside the sparky Jack Nowell, try-machine Waldrom and bristling back rowers like Salvi, Armand and Ewers, Exeter certainly have a side to compete with the best again but I think Wasps and Saracens have recruited a little extra magic into their sides to take them just out of reach of the Chiefs.

In: Dave Dennis (Waratahs), Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby), Greg Holmes (Queensland Reds)

Out: Jack Arnott (Cornish Pirates), Chrysander Botha (Released), Alex Brown (Perpignan), Adam Hughes (Dragons), Josh Jones (Salford Reds), Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks), Jerry Sexton (London Irish), Lewis Stevenson (Connacht), Brett Sturgess (Retired), Jake Woolmore (Jersey).

5. Northampton Saints
Champions in 2013-14, Saints have underperformed since, finishing fifth last season. It would be unfair to pin all their woes on the loss of one player, even one as excellent as Samu Manoa, but the US wrecking ball’s move to Toulon also coincided with a downturn in form of guys like Tom Wood and they have lacked the go forward essential to their forward-dominated, aggressive game. With Wood itching to show Eddie Jones he shouldn’t be written off yet and Louis Picamoles joining from Toulouse, this should change.

Their backline is strangely underrated given it contains guys like George North, Ben Foden, Luther Burrell and the Pisi brothers; if they can get that spark back up front they should be a great side. Still I think they will miss out on the play-offs.

In: Matt Beesley (prop, Wharfedale), Charlie Clare (hooker, Bedford Blues), Nic Groom (scrum-half, Western Province), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Juan Pablo Estelles (Atletico del Rosario)

Out: Alex Corbisiero (prop, sabbatical), Jon Fisher (back row, Bristol), Kahn Fotuali’I (scrum-half, Bath), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (prop, London Irish), Pat Howard (centre, Newport Gwent Dragons), Victor Matfield (lock, retired), Matti Williams (hooker, Worcester), Alex Woolford (lock, released),

6. Harlequins
Another side who have tailed off since they dazzled the premiership with their offloading game on their way to triumph in 2012, Quins were sloppy and unsure of themselves at times last year. There have not been many big signings over the summer ? Ruaridh Jackson replaces Ben Botica as back up to Nick Evans and the talented Aaron Morris joins the backline – but they still have big names in Jamie Roberts and England stalwarts Robshaw, Marler, Care and Brown.

The biggest news for them is a change at the top. Conor O’Shea has left to attempt to revive Italian rugby and John Kingston is the new man. The loss of someone as talented as O’Shea is a real blow but a new coach can go one of two ways – the team falls apart as new systems don’t take and the coach fails to connect with the squad, or they are revitalised by a new vision, buy into the game plan and step up their efforts. It’s a coin toss but I am marginally backing the later and a return to European rugby.

In: Cameron Holenstein (Pau) Aaron Morris (Saracens), Charlie Mulchrone (Worcester Warriors), Mark Reddish (Highlanders) Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps), George Naoupu (Connacht), Alofa Alofa (La Rochelle), Gabriel Ibitoye, Dino Lamb-Cona, Jonas Mikalcius, Niall Saunders

Out: Beau Robinson (unattached), Ben Botica (Montpellier), Kieran Treadwell (Ulster), Luke White (unattached), Mofe Wilkey (unattached), Sam Egerton (Newcastle Falcons), Tito Tebaldi (Treviso), Nick Easter (Harlequins’ Defence Coach)

Disagree? Have your say below!

By Henry Ker

Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images for Aviva, provided by Synergy