The top-flight of English rugby returns with a new name and fresh energy after Prem Rugby’s radical offseason rebrand.
The shortening of the official name of the competition, designed to reflect the vernacular in which the league is most commonly spoken, is part of a wider shift in presentation and identity, with the intensity of the league and physical feats performed by the Prem’s players set to be emphasised.
Bath begin as defending champions after finally ending a 29-year wait for a title, while Northampton will look to bounce back from a mixed domestic campaign having come close to Champions Cup glory.
There is real reason for hope at Newcastle, too, with the struggling side taken over by Red Bull and optimistic of a much better season having finished bottom last year.
Here’s our club-by-club guide and predictions for the new season – in the order in which they finished the last campaign:
Bath
Director of Rugby: Johann van Graan
Captain: Ben Spencer
There is every chance the defending champions back up their long-awaited success with another tilt at the title. Adding Santiago Carreras, Chris Harris and Henry Arundell to the deepest squad in the league should only enhance their chances, with making a push in the Champions Cup surely a necessary next step. The departure of attack coach Lee Blackett to England early in the season creates a degree of uncertainty but Ben Spencer and Finn Russell, armed with a new contract, are back to pull the strings and the pack remains very, very strong.
Key figure: Ben Spencer, scrum half. The best half-back pairing in the country are a perfect marriage, Spencer and Russell aiding one another to reach new heights. The 33-year-old scrum half now has a trophy haul as big as just about anyone in English domestic rugby following Saracens’ success early in his career – can he now lead the forging of a similar dynasty?
Youngster to watch: Ciaran Donoghue. One has to feel for Donoghue a little, the momentum built during a breakout second half of the last campaign threatened to be stymied a little by the arrival of similarly-skilled Carreras. But the playmaking, explosive 10/15 should get opportunities when Van Graan rotates, and might well get an early chance with the two international fly halves unavailable – if he can overcome a knee injury.
Predicted finish: 1st
Leicester Tigers
Head coach: Geoff Parling
Captain: TBC
Beaten finalists last season, it’s been a summer of change at Leicester with Geoff Parling arriving as head coach after Michael Cheika’s single season in charge. The former England lock has forged his coaching career in Australia and arrives with a strong reputation, but must replace the experience and leadership of Ben Youngs, Dan Cole, Julian Montoya and Handre Pollard. The Springboks fly half’s departure leaves a vacancy at No 10 – the signing of Wallabies playmaker James O’Connor is looking a better and better bit of business but the 35-year-old is little more than a stop-gap. The set-piece should be a strength but wider questions remain.
Key figure: Jack van Poortvliet, scrum half. Uncertainty at 10 and a leadership void could see greater responsibility placed on Van Poortvliet. The 24-year-old faces with Ben Spencer and Harry Randall for the second scrum half spot for his country but Leicester will surely look to him, George Martin, Ollie Chessum, Joe Heyes and Freddie Steward to step up now they are all firmly established Prem performers.
Youngster to watch: Emeka Ilione, flanker. Ilione took another huge stride in his development last season, and was outstanding off the bench in the final. Can he force his way into Parling’s starting side and really press for higher honours? He has the talent.
Predicted finish: 6th
Sale Sharks
Director of Rugby: Alex Sanderson
Captain: Ben Curry
Perennially in the play-offs, Sale are relatively settled in terms of playing personnel, with a crop of England contenders like Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Tom Roebuck and Joe Carpenter accentuating the more established Curry twins and George Ford. Alex Sanderson has admitted he may not see much of Tom Curry after his Lions exertions and subsequent surgery, while the need to replace Jean-Luc du Preez and Jonny Hill could see former England U20 captain Tom Burrow step up at some point. Jacques Vermeulen is a canny addition from Exeter, though.
Key figure: Ernst van Rhyn, lock/flanker. A slightly alternative choice, perhaps, given the star-power in the Sale squad but Van Rhyn feels vital in balancing their pack this season. Virtually ever present across his first two seasons at the club, the South African has committed his future with a new three-year deal and will again tackle anything that even threatens to move.
Youngster to watch: Nathan Jibulu, hooker. Plenty of options here but Jibulu could be another shrewd signing. Sale have paid a decent chunk of change to lure the former Harlequins hooker north yet there is plenty to like about the 22-year-old, who should excel under the tutelage of Luke Cowan-Dickie.
Predicted finish: 3rd
Bristol Bears
Head coach: Pat Lam
Captain: Fitz Harding
The Prem’s great entertainers are hoping to add a little extra substance to their serious style having had Bath on the ropes for long periods of a thrilling semi-final derby last year. There are no signs that the Bears will pare back their attacking excesses, and nor should they with Tom Jordan and Louis Rees-Zammit now also in town, but Pat Lam will want to see local lads like George Kloska and James Dun continue to thrive having got a lot out of the pair in the tight five last season.
Key figure: Tom Jordan, utility back. One of the best bits of business of the summer, a deal for Jordan was done seemingly before his Scotland debut last November and the utility-man’s reputation has sky-rocketed since. There is a real jigsaw puzzle for Pat Lam to assemble in his backline with plenty of eye-catching pieces, and Jordan could make it all work with his capacity to cover full-back, inside centre or fly half.
Youngster to watch: Benjamin Grondona, back row. There’s a fun trio of Pumas in the back five of Bristol’s pack, Pedro Rubiolo joining the Grondona brothers permanently after an initial loan switch from Newcastle last season. While Rubiolo and the elder sibling, Santiago, are away with Argentina, little brother Benjamin could get a good early-season run to build on his international debut in July.
Predicted finish: 5th
Gloucester
Head coach: George Skivington
Captain: Tomos Williams
Gloucester took great mighty strides forward last season, pushing for a play-off spot after embracing an uber-attacking style early in the campaign. They found better balance down the stretch with Tomos Williams – installed as captain in his second season – a supreme signing, and the scrum half will again be important. A busy summer of comings and goings has perhaps left them a little light in certain areas but it could look very good if Gloucester click again.
Key figure: Ross Byrne, fly half. Charlie Atkinson was a summer tourist with England yet you feel that Byrne will be given his chance to stake a claim to the No 10. Escaping the Leinster system feels a pivotal moment in the career of a 22-cap Ireland international, who will hope to thrive having enjoyed an extended preseason with his nation now looking elsewhere.
Youngster to watch: Will Joseph, centre/wing. The signings of Joseph, Ben Loader and Ben Redshaw refresh the outside backs division for Gloucester, who have real versatility and strike-running threat across a competitive group. It never quite happened for one-cap England international Joseph at Harlequins, with injuries disrupting his spell at the Stoop, yet he is only 23 and could well come again. Best wishes, too, to elder brother Jonathan, who has announced his retirement after leaving Biarritz.
Predicted finish: 8th
Saracens
Director of Rugby: Mark McCall
Captain: Maro Itoje
Much of the focus at Saracens this season will fall on Owen Farrell, back in north London after a relatively unfulfilling campaign at Racing 92. The fly half cut a more relaxed figure on the Lions tour, determined to enjoy his rugby, but there was a sense that the side missed his competitive edge at times last year. Max Malins is also back in town after Alex Goode’s retirement while the array of athletes in the back five of the pack – from Ben Earl and Tom Willis to Juan Martin Gonzalez and Theo McFarland – are unmatched elsewhere in the Prem.
Key figure: Owen Farrell, fly half. Obviously. The benefit of Farrell’s return could well be two-fold, still plenty left in the tank as a player and yet also a vital guiding force for Fergus Burke and Louie Johnson, who had the tough task of filling his boots last year. With Alex Lozowski working his way back from a torn achilles, there is a chance that we see plenty of the 33-year-old in the centres, too – promising trio Olly Hartley, Sam Spink and Angus Hall should all benefit.
Youngster to watch: Charlie Bracken, scrum half. Lock Olamide Sodeke and back row Nathan Michelow are highly rated and should impress if able to earn opportunities in a fierce fight for places in the pack but there is a more obvious route into the first-team fold for Bracken as back-up to Ivan van Zyl. Younger brother Jack is also pushing for a place on the wing, with World Cup-winning dad Kyran helping put wise heads on young shoulders.
Predicted finish: 4th
Harlequins
Senior coach: Jason Gilmore
Captain: Alex Dombrandt
Losing your senior coach a week before the season starts represents a chaotic build-up for Harlequins, even if there were some who always suspected that Danny Wilson would be bound for Wales at some point. With Billy Millard, director of rugby, also having exited, the experienced Toby Booth has been brought in to add to the staff. Quins have sometimes done their best work on the pitch during periods of uncertainty off it, though, and will hope to foster the same spirit as in their 2020/21 title-winning season. Most of their recruitment has come in the pack; Argentina lock Guido Petti feels a standout signing.
Key figure: Alex Dombrandt, No 8. Often a player-led squad, club captain Dombrandt may have to take command again after the retirements of senior heads like Danny Care and Joe Marler during the course of last season. Will Evans and Jack Kenningham dovetail on the flanks well but Dombrandt will be key in providing ballast in his usual free-wheeling way.
Youngster to watch: Ben Waghorn, centre. A real find as Harlequins tried to replace Andre Esterhuizen last season, Waghorn went from a London Scottish loanee to almost certain starter down the stretch. England hopefuls Luke Northmore and Oscar Beard may have their say in the battle for centre shirts, though if Waghorn continues to figure out how to best use his imposing frame he will represent a fine foil for Marcus Smith and Jarrod Evans to work off of.
Predicted finish: 7th
Northampton Saints
Director of Rugby: Phil Dowson
Captain: George Furbank
A run to the Champions Cup final was a better representation of Northampton than their lowly domestic finish last year, Saints paying the price for their success as England came calling for the core that led them to a title the season prior. Phil Dowson has already lamented how little he might see of Fin Smith, Tommy Freeman and the rest but there is an impressive incoming quartet: super-sized lock JJ van der Mescht adds serious grunt up front; No 8 Callum Chick is as reliable a Prem performer as any; Italian loosehead Danilo Fischetti provides breakdown brilliance in a rounded game; and French fly half Anthony Belleau is a clever addition to compensate for when Smith and George Furbank are away with England.
Key figure: Fraser Dingwall, centre. A glue guy on and off the pitch, Dingwall would have been desperately disappointed to miss out on a chance to build on his Six Nations breakthrough after missing England’s summer tour to the Americas. There will probably be a few moving parts in the Saints’ backline as they juggle the need for rest and rotation, making Dingwall a key cog for continuity.
Youngster to watch: Tom Lockett, lock. A tricky year domestically for Saints nonetheless saw the emergence of Lockett as a springy lineout jumper, with an appearance for England A and call-up to Steve Borthwick’s summer training squad reflecting how highly he is rated.
Predicted finish: 2nd
Exeter Chiefs
Director of Rugby: Rob Baxter
Captain: Jack Yeandle/Dafydd Jenkins
An annus horribilis saw the bright shoots of hope in Exeter’s rebuild rather frozen a bit as off-field upheaval and on-pitch inconsistency contributed to a four-win season. Better will be expected, particularly with a couple of Wallabies hopping hemispheres: centre Len Ikitau and blindside Tom Hooper will be excellent additions when they arrive, even if the former is only here for a single season. Finding clarity at fly half and keeping Immanuel Feyi-Waboso fit will be vital.
Key figure: Len Ikitau, centre. It is only a short-term sabbatical that brings Ikitau to Exeter but Rob Baxter will clearly want to get as much as he can out of the Australia centre. Taking some of the load off Henry Slade in midfield is necessary and Ikitau’s defensive organisation, punchy carrying and neat handling may allow Slade to swap either side of him as the Chiefs attempt to find better balance.
Youngster to watch: Ben Coen, fly half. A World Cup winner at U20 level in 2024, another year as age-grade playmaker should now have Coen ready to step up fully into the senior ranks. Harvey Skinner will probably get first crack at No 10 but the time will surely come to look at what Coen can do.
Predicted finish: 9th
Newcastle Red Bulls
Director of Rugby: Steve Diamond
Captain: George McGuigan
A new, exciting era begins at Newcastle after the takeover by Red Bull. Heavier investment is to come in terms of playing personnel, with the club eyeing plenty of big names in the next recruitment cycle and perhaps a headline coaching addition, too. For now the spending has been targeted as Steve Diamond looks to do what he does best and get the most out of his squad. Christian Wade will return from rugby league to chase the Prem try record later this year while Liam Williams finalised a deal on Monday. A bottom-placed finish could still beckon even if progress is made, but it will surely not be long before Newcastle are eyeing the upper reaches of the table.
Key figure: Tom Christie, flanker. Tackling machine Christie feels like the perfect sort of signing to kickstart a new phase at Newcastle. Unfussy and not necessarily flashy, the 27-year-old carries with him the winning culture of the Crusaders as a three-time Super Rugby champion, and will combine well in a tough, tireless partnership with fellow flanker Tom Gordon.
Youngster to watch: Joe Davis, scrum half. The hope will be that the talent drain is now at an end after Ben Redshaw became the latest starlet plucked from the Newcastle nest by Gloucester. Scrum half Davis had plenty of opportunities last season having begun the 2024/25 campaign as an 18-year-old and Diamond rates him as a player of sky-high potential.
Predicted finish: 10th
