Director of rugby: Steve Bates
Captain: Carl Hayman
Ground: Kingston Park (10,200 capacity)
Last season: GP - 10th ECC - Lost to Saracens in semi-finals
England elite squad: 0

Difficult to assess given a huge turnover in players this summer, with 17 arriving and 23 departing, including England trio Jonny Wilkinson, Jamie Noon and Tom May and influential number eight Phil Dowson.

A relegation struggle loomed for much of last season before a string of back-to-back wins lifted them clear of trouble, but hard to forsee much of an improvement on last season's 10th.

New Zealander Jimmy Gopperth is a quality replacement for Wilkinson though and South African centre Gcobani Bobo should provide some ballast in midfield.

"I think we've managed to bring some real quality players in and have a good blend of foreign talent and young English talent. I think the guys who we have kept from last year had a significant impact on our good form in the last stage of the season and along with the new players we have added from successful teams, we have a good squad. We have also recruited a world class fly-half in Jimmy Gopperth and he will be a huge asset to us."
Director of rugby Steve Bates