Their backs should be quite something – not simply because King Carlos

Their backs should be quite something – not simply because “King” Carlos Spencer has assumed the throne at No 10, but because the likes of Sean Lamont and David Quinlan are nobody’s fools. Ninth.NorthamptonDirector of rugby: Budge PountneyCaptain: Steve ThompsonOn the face of it, Northampton cannot conceivably be as bad as they were last year. There again, they have lost two international loose forwards, albeit elderly ones, and can no longer rely on the services of Paul Grayson, who has turned his hand to full-time coaching. Robbie Morris? Tino Paoletti? The Tynesiders badly need their new props to stand up and be counted.Warm welcomes Anthony Elliott (Rotherham), Owen Finegan (ACT Brumbies, Aus), Robbie Morris (Northampton), Tino Paoletti (Plymouth).Fond farewells Craig Hamilton (Glasgow), James Isaacson (Leeds), Semo Sititi (Borders), Epi Taione (Sale).The tea leaves say.. A curate’s egg of a season. As ever, Newcastle’s season will boil down to two things: Jonny Wilkinon’s fitness and, more importantly, the potency of the front row, which has been horribly limp-wristed for years. A competitive eighth, if they kick their goals.NewcastleDirector of rugby: Rob AndrewCaptain: Colin CharvisAndrew’s summer horse-trading has left the Falcons heavily in credit, and the thought of the rumbustious Owen Finegan partnering the effective Charvis in the back row gets the juices flowing. The overseas signings cover most of the bases and if Smith, a brilliant defensive strategist with Bath a couple of seasons back, can get the mix right straight away, the Irish could find themselves holding their own in the mid-table scrap.Warm welcomes Danie Coetzee (Blue Bulls, SA), Michael Collins (Waikato, NZ), Riki Flutey (Wellington, NZ), Olivier Magne (Clermont Auvergne).Fond farewells Geoff Appleford (Northampton), Mark Mapletoft (retired), Peter Poulos (Samoa), Tony Roques (Exeter).The tea leaves say…

Fifth – and no, it is not meant as an insultLondon IrishDirector of rugby: Brian SmithCaptain: Ryan StrudwickAlong with Leeds and Northampton, the Exiles have recruited boldly – an irony that will not be lost on Gary Gold, last season’s coach, who bemoaned the lack of star quality at the club before upping sticks and returning to South Africa. Can things be pulled together in time for a meaningful assault on the title? Maybe, maybe not That’s the fun of it. There is no shortage of quality at Welford Road, but there is more than a suspicion that this will be a transitional season, with all the quirks and cock-ups that generally occur under such circumstances.Warm welcomes Leo Cullen (Leinster), Shane Jennings (Leinster), Alejandro Moreno (Brive), Ian Nimmo (Heriots FP).Fond farewells Neil Back (retired), John Holtby (released), Martin Johnson (retired), Tom Ryder (Saracens).The tea leaves say… A new coach, a new captain and a new look to the back row, where Shane Jennings has been summoned from Ireland to perform the Neil Back role on the open side. Sixth – maybe higher if the backs catch fire.LeicesterHead coach: Pat HowardCaptain: Martin CorryAh, very interesting, Mr Bond. With Justin Marshall loading the bullets, the likes of Tom Biggs and David Doherty should be well worth watching.Warm welcomes Gordon Bulloch (Glasgow), Justin Marshall (Canterbury, NZ), Roland Reid (London Irish), Nathan Thomas (Cardiff Blues).Fond farewells Diego Albanese (retired), Phil Christophers (Castres), Duncan Hodge (Edinburgh), Mark Regan (Bristol).The tea leaves say…

The lovable Welshman’s long-running project at Headingley is beginning to bear fruit, as the outstanding success of his latest recruiting mission indicates, and it would be no great surprise if Leeds enjoyed their best Premiership season. A rugged seventh seems a reasonable bet.LeedsDirector of rugby: Phil DaviesCaptain: Stuart HooperRugby union may be the third game in town – fourth, now that cricket has become the new sex – but does Davies care? Does he hell. If Ryan gets them fit and Phil Vickery gets himself back on the field, who knows?Warm welcomes Ludovic Mercier (Pau), Peter Richards (Wasps), Mike Tindall (Bath), Rob Thirlby (Penzance).Fond farewells Christo Bezuidenhout (Blue Bulls, SA), Chris Fortey (Worcester), Seti Kiole (Clermont Auvergne), Alex Page (Bedford).The tea leaves say… Gloucester have recruited well, however, and should win a majority of the punch-ups by knock-out. The Big Bad Wolf was incandescent at some of the Cherry and White performances last time out and now he is the main man he will be even less inclined to put up with second best. It’s sad, but someone has to finish 12th.GloucesterHead coach: Dean RyanCaptain: Adam BaldingOne of these fine days, the menacing Ryan will allow his anger to get the better of him and take the field himself.

But being right and being good enough are not necessarily one and the same thing, and Bristol look worryingly lightweight up front, despite the return of the ever-combative Mark Regan. They will miss every hair on the head of their erstwhile line-out organiser, Jim Brownrigg.Warm welcomes Mark Denney (Castres), Brian Lima (Munster), Mariano Sambucetta (Brive), Roy Winters (Harlequins).Fond farewells Jim Brownrigg (London Welsh), Hentie Martens (released), Luke Nabaro (Doncaster), Ed Pearce (retired).The tea leaves say… The question mark concerns the backs’ ability to give the ugly mugs full value for their efforts. Olly Barkley will cut a dash in midfield and there are new wings in the intelligent David Bory and the seriously rapid Michael Stephenson. Bory may be past his best, though, and Stephenson is already injured.Warm welcomes David Bory (Castres), Andy Dunne (Harlequins), Pieter Dixon (Western Province, SA), Michael Stephenson (Newcastle).Fond farewells Brendon Daniel (Pau), Robbie Fleck (retired), Jonathan Humphreys (retired), Geraint Lewis (Bristol).The tea leaves say… Anything short of top three will provoke an inquest.BristolHead coach: Richard HillCaptain: Matt SalterMore realistically financed than at any point in the professional era and painstakingly prepared by the highly rated Hill, this season’s newcomers have done everything right for more than a year now. A pedigree breakaway specialist, he will give London Irish a new dimension.JUSTIN MARSHALL Scrum-half.