Former Bath, England & Lions centre

Where have the last few months gone? It seems only yesterday Lawrence Dallaglio was bowing out by lifting the Premiership trophy at Twickenham, and here's another season starting!

I'm really excited about it though, and the defending champions Wasps are as good a place to start as any.

Waldouck, still just 20 years old, could be in for a big season

Wasps have great young talent in Tom Rees and James Haskell, and look out for Dominic Waldouck at centre - I really rate him.

But I'm not sure how long it can last. Dallaglio, who was their talisman for so long, has gone, along with the under-rated Fraser Waters, while Danny Cipriani is injured.

I remember when the All Blacks lost Sean Fitzpatrick and Zinzan Brooke in quick succession and really struggled. It's hard to replace people like Dallaglio and Waters and it will be interesting to see how Serge Betsen gets on.

From Biarritz to High Wycombe via Acton - he's certainly not moving for the glamour!

Danny Cipriani, once fit, will be as dominant as Jonny Wilkinson was in his heyday

Combine their frightening self-belief with a certain youthful arrogance - which some people don't like, but I can relate to! - and add the brains of Shaun Edwards and Ian McGeechan, and you can see why they succeed.

As brilliant as Andy Goode has been for Leicester over the years, they have been crying out for a top-draw fly-half for a few years now.

Is Toby Flood really going to be the answer at 10? As a fly-half, we don't really know him.

He's shown touches that makes me think he can handle the pressure. But I don't see him as an England fly-half in a month of Sundays. Cipriani, once fit, will be as dominant as Jonny Wilkinson was in his heyday.

After having coaches that have been Leicester through and through, the Tigers have gone with South African Heyneke Meyer - even after the Marcelo Loffreda experiment failed to come off.

The board obviously think it's the way forward, and that's the way of the modern game.

Lamb will be in charge of a potent back division at Kingsholm

Gloucester will be up there, but the big question with them is psychological.

They have all the talent you could wish for: look at their backline of Iain Balshaw, Lesley Vainikolo, Mike Tindall, Anthony Allen, James Simpson-Daniel and Ryan Lamb. They just haven't got the top two inches right.

Olly Barkley is a big signing and can help in that regard. But the crunch time is not now or Christmas - it's in April and May and that's the difference between them and Wasps.

They've got to find their bottle - they've lost it at crucial times and until they find it when it matters they'll be Robinson Crusoe stranded on the island.

My old club Bath got back to something like their former glories last year, playing really nice stuff and getting to the play-offs.

For me, it's about how the replacements for Barkley and Steve Borthwick fit in.

I've seen a little bit of Shontayne Hape and he looks a big old unit, but it's not a like-for-like replacement for Barkley.

If he's fit then he could add another dimension, but what I don't know is if he's quick and elusive enough.

It's more difficult to scare defenders with pace and tricks like Mathew Tait. If Hape can do that, great; if not then he's a waste of money.

Justin Harrison should do OK in the line-out, and I can see him doing a good job as long as he's fit.

Those are my four genuine contenders, but in terms of dark horses then take your pick from Harlequins or Saracens.

My fear for Saracens is that their backs aren't potent enough. Some of them you would be frightened of facing in Sevens, but the full 15-a-side game is a different kettle of fish.

But they have beefed up their pack with Michael Owen and Borthwick and you underestimate their coach Eddie Jones at your peril.

Harlequins are building something. In my days they were a soft touch, but it's not the same now.

Evans' international chances have been restricted by Dan Carter

Nick Evans is a massive signing. A genuinely class fly-half who has only been kept out of the All Blacks team by the presence of Dan Carter. If Leicester had got him, they really would be a force.

Down at the bottom, I fear for Bristol this season.

They always seem to be doing things in adversity and their pack is not getting any younger. They are a club in real need of big investment because the city deserves it.

The other big talking point, of course, are the experimental law variations.

I watched some Super 14 and Tri-Nations this season, and to the naked eye there doesn't seem to be a great deal of difference - until you come to the set-pieces.

The backs will love the extra space off a scrum and defending a 5m scrum is going to be terrifying. The attacking team should score almost every time and any rule that encourages attacking players to flourish has to be applauded.

Some people are worrying about a lot of aimless kicking. But as Del Boy would say to Rodney, "he who dares, Rodders, he who dares..."

Will the rolling maul become a thing of the past?

What happens if there is a serious injury? It's in to stop the rolling maul, which is an art in itself and something that has separated us from league. I think it's a shame they've brought it in.

I'm also worried about consistency. If these new laws are not refereed consistently then all hell will break loose.

We don't want to see coaches going bananas on the touchline like in football, but I fear we might.

Jeremy Guscott was talking to BBC Sport's Phil Harlow