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
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