BENETTON TREVISO

Ground

Stadio Monigo, Treviso

Coach

Kieran Crowley

Captains

Alberto Sgarbi and Alessandro Zanni

Players in

Tommy Allan (Perpignan), Marty Banks (Highlanders), Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol), Tiziano Pasquali (Leicester), Michael Tagicakibau (Scarlets), Tito Tebaldi (Harlequins).

Players out

Sam Christie (Waikato), Salesi Manu (Honda Heat), Andrea de Marchi (Rovigo), Duncan Naude (Limoges), Tom Palmer (released),

Last season

Bottom of the table after two seasons of finishing second last.

Prediction

A modest revival is on the cards for a team who have recruited well after last season’s disappointment. 10th

CARDIFF BLUES

Ground

Cardiff Arms Park

Coach

Danny Wilson

Captain

Gethin Jenkins

Players in

George Earle (Scarlets), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Willis Halaholo (Hurricanes), Matthew Morgan (Bristol), Kirby Myhill, Steven Shingler (both Scarlets), Nick Williams (Ulster).

Players out

Harry Davies (Bath), Sam Hobbs, Craig Mitchell (both Dragons), Miles Normandale (Rotherham), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Lou Reed (Sale), Richard Smith (Scarlets), Manoa Vosawai (Vannes), Tom Williams (Scarlets).

Last season

Finished strongly to end up seventh.

Prediction

Will continue the progress and get into the play-offs. Losing semi-finalists

CONNACHT

Ground

The Sportsground, Galway

Coach

Pat Lam

Captain

John Muldoon

Players in

Marnitz Boshoff (Golden Lions), Conor Carey (Nottingham), Eoin Griffin (London Irish), Cian Kelleher (Leinster), Dominic Robertson-McCoy (Northland).

Players out

Rodney Ah You (Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Aj MacGinty (Sale), Aly Muldowney (Grenoble), Api Pewhairangi (London Broncos).

Last season

Surpassed all expectations by winning the title after getting into the play-offs for the first time.

Prediction

They are losing some big names, and Bundee Aki can only do so much on his own. 5th

EDINBURGH

Grounds

BT Murrayfield and Myreside

Coach

Alan Solomons

Captains

Grant Gilchrist and Stuart McInally

Players in

Nick Beavon (Melrose), Glenn Bryce, Kevin Bryce (both Glasgow), Lewis Carmichael (Melrose), Viliami Fihaki (Sale), Alex Northam (La Rochelle), Junior Rasolea (Western Force), Rory Scholes (Ulster), Sasa Tofilau (Kirkcaldy), Duncan Weir (Glasgow).

Players out

John Andress (Munster), Sam Beard (Dragons), Mike Coman (London Irish), Jack Cuthbert (Jersey), Dougie Fife, Otulea Katoa (both released), Nick McLennan (Scotland 7s), Matt Scott (Gloucester), Grant Shiells (London Scottish), Andries Strauss (retired), Jade te Rure (released), Alex Toolis (Melbourne Rebels).

Last season

Fell away badly to finish ninth after being in the running for a top-six place with just weeks to go.

Prediction

The extra cutting edge in attack provided by Tofilau and Rasolea will help them to a top-six finish at last. 6th

GLASGOW WARRIORS

Ground

Scotstoun

Coach

Gregor Townsend

Captains

Jonny Gray and Henry Pyrgos

Players in

Jarrod Firth (Counties Manukau), Corey Flynn (Toulouse), Nemia Kenatale (Farul Constanta), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Hagen Schulte (Buller), Djustice Sears-Duru (Ontario), Tjiuee Uanivi (Natal Sharks).

Players out

Mike Blair (retired), Will Bordill (released), Glenn Bryce, Kevin Bryce (both Edinburgh), James Eddie (retired), Jason Hill (Bedford), Tyrone Holmes (Newcastle), Gregor Hunter (Gala), Shalva Mamukashvili (released), Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92), Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs), Fergus Scott (Currie), Javan Sebastian (Carmarthen Quins), Duncan Weir (Edinburgh), Jerry Yanuyanutawa (released).

Last season

The defence of their title ended with defeat at Connacht in the semi-final after the Irish province had beaten them in the last game of the regular season to claim home advantage in the play-offs.

Prediction

Nakarawa is a big loss, but they have the depth of squad to come close to another title. Runners-up

LEINSTER

Ground

RDS, Dublin

Coach

Leo Cullen

Captain

Isa Nacewa

Players in

Jamison Gibson-Park (Hurricanes), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Niall Morris (Leicester), Ian Nagle (London Irish).

Players out

Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets), Isaac Boss (Waikato), Gordon D’Arcy (retired), Tom Denton (Gloucester), Darragh Fanning, Luke Fitzgerald (both retired), Jamie Hagan (Melbourne Rebels), Cian Kelleher (Connacht), Kevin McLaughlin (retired), Ian Madigan (Bordeaux-Begles), Marty Moore (Wasps), Eoin Reddan (retired), Ben Te’o (Worcester).

Last season

Lost the final for the second year running, going down 20-10 to Connacht at Murrayfield.

Prediction

The acquisition of Henshaw will help shore up a squad that is already the most consistent in the league and take it back to another final, this time in its home city. Champions

MUNSTER

Grounds

Thomond Park, Limerick, and Musgrave Park, Cork.

Coach

Rassie Erasmus

Captain

Peter O’Mahony

Players in

John Andress (Edinburgh), Sam Arnold (Ulster), Darren O’Shea (Worcester).

Players out

BJ Botha (released),Shane Buckley , Jordan Coghlan (both Nottingham), Denis Hurley (released), Felix Jones (retired).

Last season

Secured a Champions Cup place, fInishing sixth, behind the Scarlets on points differential.

Prediction

A difficult period of transition will continue under new coach Erasmus. 9th

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS

Ground

Rodney Parade, Newport

Coach

Kingsley Jones

Captain

Lewis Evans

Players in

Sam Beard (Edinburgh), Tom Davies (Cardiff), Darran Harris (Rotherham), Sam Hobbs (Cardiff), Pat Howard (Northampton), Nick Macleod (Sale), Craig Mitchell (Cardiff).

Players out

Andrew Coombs (retired), Taulupe Faletau (Bath), Hugh Gustafson, Alex Jeffries (Ospreys), Matthew Pewtner (retired), Boris Stankovich (released).

Last season

Tenth, way off the pace and ahead only of the two Italian teams.

Prediction

Will continue to struggle, particularly away from home. 11th

OSPREYS

Ground

Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Coach

Steve Tandy

Captain

Alun Wyn Jones

Players in

Bradley Davies (Wasps), Kieron Fonotia (Crusaders), Hugh Gustafson (Dragons), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets).

Players out

Rynier Bernardo (Scarlets), Richard Fussell (retired), Aaron Jarvis (Clermont Auvergne), Kristian Phillips (London Welsh), Marc Thomas (Jersey).

Last season

Eighth again - another disappointment after a four-year spell in which they won the title, came fifth twice and reached the semi-finals.

Prediction

Have recruited well and should make a return to the form of a few years ago. Losing semi-finalists

SCARLETS

Ground

Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli

Coach

Wayne Pivac

Captain

Ken Owens

Players in

Tadhg Beirne (Leinster), Rynier Bernardo (Ospreys), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Jonathan Evans (Bath), Werner Kruger (Bulls), Johnny McNicholl (Crusaders), Rhys Patchell, Richard Smith (both Cardiff).

Players out

George Earle (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Jersey), Rhodri Jones (Ospreys), Regan King (Jersey), Josh Lewis (Ebbw Vale), Kirby Myhill (Cardiff), Maselino Paulino (Lyon), Steven Shingler (Cardiff), Michael Tagicakibau (Treviso), Jordan Williams, Rhodri Williams (both Bristol).

Last season

Fifth after making the running throughout much of the autumn.

Prediction

Excellent on their day, particularly in the backs, but a few injuries could expose their shortcomings. 8th

ULSTER

Ground

Kingspan Stadium, Belfast

Coach

Neil Doak

Captain

Rory Best

Players in

Rodney Ah You (Connacht), Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), Brett Herron (Bath), Angus Lloyd (Trinity College Dublin), Charles Piutau (Wasps), Kieran Treadwell (Harlequins).

Players out

Sam Arnold (Munster), Ian Humphreys (retired), Rory Scholes (Edinburgh), Nick Williams (Cardiff).

Last season

Fourth, then lost the semi-final to Leinster in Dublin.

Prediction

The squad is growing into one of the best in the league, but this may be a year too soon. 7th

ZEBRE

Ground

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma

Coach

Gianluca Guidi

Captain

George Biagi

Players in

Faialaga Afamasaga (Northland), Kurt Baker (Highlanders), Carlo Engelbrecht (Blue Bulls), Carlo Festuccia (Wasps), Josh Furno (Newcastle), Lloyd Greef (Golden Lions), Bartholomeus Le Roux (Leopards), Derick Minnie (Lions), Giovanbattista Venditti (Newcastle).

Players out

Mirco Bergamasco (Sacramento), Marco Bortolami, Luke Burgess (both retired), Kelly Haimona (Bay of Plenty), Mils Muliaina (San Francisco), Leonardo Sarto (Glasgow).

Last season

At last hauled themselves off the bottom to finish 11th.

Prediction

Furno and Venditti are promising acquisitions, but they lack the overall strength to do more than provide the odd shock. 12th