Premiership Predictions?

[TigerCam]

Steve James predicts:

Sarries as champs
Newcastle relegated
Glaws as 'the dark horses' - I agree.
Christian Wade - Top try scorer
Samu Manoa - Foreign star
Anthony Watson - Breakthrough player
Toulon to retain the EU cup

Prem table predictions:

Sarries
Tigers
Saints
Glaws
Quins
Bath
Sharks
Chiefs
Pests
L Paddies
L.Taffs
Falcons

[RagingBull]

Don't reckon Wade will be top scorer.

or Toulon to retain the Euro cup.

Don't think glous will be in the top 4, there 1 key player injury away from being a 5-10 team imo.

[L Smith]

Sarries
Saints
Tigers
Quins
Bath
Gloucester
Sale
Wasps
Oirish
Exeter
Newcastle
London Taffs

Tigers to come second in European group but not enough points to qualify

Sam Burgess to not make the England 2015 squad

Saints to suffer a difficult season as champions and to blame it on injuries and international call-ups

Scotland to become independent and bankrupt

Saracens and Bath to get rumbled on salary cap infringements

Noddy to get banned from the Tryline club, pestering strangers for drinks that he thinks he is owed!

[Noddy555]

No I think the top 4 will be the same as last year onl;y this time we will qualify for and win the final. My Favourite teams to go down are either of the exiles London Irish or Welsh, I think Newcastle will do well this season and I have them finishing 6th.

[MurphysLaw]

The top six will be tighter than ever this year - the 'usual suspects' (Tigers, Sarries,Saints,Quins,Bath, and with their improved squads Glaws and Wasps, and Exeter (not in the Champions Cup),all fighting it out probably until the last round for qualification.
Noddy, I can't see Newcastle making the top six, even though they have got a better squad and a new, part artificial, pitch which will help them; and I think Sale will struggle to replicate their improvement of last season.
Not sure what to make of Irish - they have financial backing, but still seem to lose their best talent.Losing quality such as O'Connor and Yarde is hard to replace.
I don't think London Welsh will do 'a Wuss' and be winless, but despite all their signings, they are most likely for the drop.

[Smudge]

The only pre-season friendlies I have seen have been Tigers.
All prem clubs have recruited heavily in the closed season and some have new DORs.
The only conclusions I have drawn therefore is that we may do better this season.
To comment on where I think the other clubs will finish would be fanciful at best
and when augmented with my prejudices (yes I have some) just as daft as Steve James.

[InGuinnessVeritas]

All prem clubs have recruited heavily in the closed season and some have new DORs.

All prem clubs have recruited heavily?

Saints have signed one player and promoted another from their academy, Quins have signed two and promoted five from their academy, Saracens have signed four and Bath have signed five and promoted one from their academy.

[Smudge]

Really? In that case, substitute "some" for "all".
Sorry, I don't own an anorak anymore!

[Smurphswillgetya]

Tigers will win. End of discussion. What is there to debate or predict?

[InGuinnessVeritas]

Really? In that case, substitute "some" for "all".
Sorry, I don't own an anorak anymore!

But we both have access to the Internet. Just another case of engaging mouth before putting brain in gear.

However, since my previous post, it has been announced Saracens have signed Phil Thiel as short-term cover for Schalk Brits and Northampton have given a contract to Jonathan Fisher following his successful trial.

These are the current ins and outs (ins include promotion from academy and outs include retirements):

Saracens - 4 in, 11 out
Northampton - 3 in, 6 out
Leicester - 13 in, 18 out
Harlequins - 7 in, 7 out
Bath - 6 in, 9 out
Sale - 12 in, 7 out
Wasps - 13 in, 11 out
Exeter - 8 in, 10 out
Gloucester - 17 in, 20 out
London Irish - 11 in, 12 out
Newcastle - 10 in, 9 out
London Welsh - 25 in, 18 out

Overall, that's a net loss of 9 players although Pat Phibbs is currently on trial with Exeter.

[wormus]

Thanks InGuinness as always well presented with the facts,
That is what this forum is all about.

[Nailsworthstiger]

Tigers will win. End of discussion. What is there to debate or predict?

Lots... who we beat at Twickenham and by how many.

One thing I predict is Stains won't win it again.

[iceman_19]

I've got a feeling we'll do well this year - making the Final at least and hopefully making a couple of strides in Europe. Looking down our side, when everyone is fit, it's difficult to see who can really match us - although, as we learned last year, we can't rely on having everyone fit! I think the signings made add some real quality to the depth and so we should be able to make it through international breaks and injuries with greater fluency. My bet is on us finishing in the top 2.

My full preview and predictions for the Premiership season (including all 12 clubs) is up here: http://www.ruckedover.blogspot.com

[tigerburnie]

I'm always confident Tigers will be there or thereabouts come the sharp end of the season, this year even more so. We have the makings of a great squad, as for the others, who knows?

[mol2]

Compared to some of the teams those figures suggest a lot of changes at Tigers, yet the core of the match day 23 won't see too many changes.