Aviva Premiership Round 1: Team News and Predictions

Exeter v Sale
Tom Johnson returns to the Exeter team after making his England debut on their summer tour to South Africa while new signing Ian Whitten starts at outside centre.
Giant lock Richie Gray forms an all Scottish second row with the returning Fraser McKenzie but fellow marquee signing Danny Cipriani has to settle for a place on the bench.
Exeter: Phil Dollman; Josh Tatupu, Ian Whitten, Jason Shoemark, Matt Jess; Ignacio Mieres, Will Chudley; Brett Sturgess, Chris Whitehead, Craig Mitchell; Tom Hayes (capt.), Aly Muldowney; Tom Johnson, James Scaysbrook, Richard Baxter.
Replacements: Simon Alcott, Ben Moon, Chris Budgen, James Hanks, James Phillips, Kevin Barrett, Gareth Steenson, Luke Arscott.
Sale: Rob Miller; Will Addison, Johnny Leota, Sam Tuitupou, Corne Uys; Nick Macleod, Dwayne Peel; Eifion Lewis-Roberts, Joe Ward, Vadim Cobilas ; Richie Gray, Fraser McKenzie; James Gaskell , David Seymour (capt.), Andy Powell.
Replacements: Marc Jones, Ross Harrison, Tony Buckley, Kearnan Myall, Richie Vernon, Cillian Willis, Danny Cipriani, Jordan Davie.
Predictions: Stability will prevail and the Chiefs will edge it in their sanctuary.
Gloucester v Northampton
England international Ben Morgan starts at No.8 after his move from the Scarlets and Billy Twelvetrees will be looking to establish himself at inside centre after his arrival from Leicester.
New signing Ken Pisi lines up alongside his brother George in the backs while Ryan Lamb is preferred to Stephen Myler at fly-half.
Gloucester: Jonny May; Charlie Sharples, Mike Tindall, Billy Twelvetrees, James Simpson-Daniel; Freddie Burns, Dan Robson; Nick Wood, Darren Dawidiuk, Rupert Harden; Tom Savage, Alex Brown (capt.); Matt Cox, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan.
Replacements: Dan Murphy, Huia Edmonds, Shaun Knight, Will James, Sione Kalamafoni, Dave Lewis, Henry Trinder, Martyn Thomas.
Northampton: Foden; K. Pisi, G. Pisi, Waldouck, Artemyev; Lamb, Dickson; Tonga’uiha, Hartley (capt.), Mujati; Manoa, Day; Dowson, Wood, van Velze.
Replacements: Haywood, Waller, Doran-Jones, Sorenson, Oakley, Roberts, Myler, Burrell.
Predictions: The Cherry and Whites will run around that big pack to clinch it late.
London Welsh v Leicester
London Welsh are without Gavin Henson for their first ever Premiership appearance but welcome French international prop Miles Montanella to their side.
Fijian wing Vereniki Goneva and South African second row Rob Andrew make their competitive Tigers debuts while Toby Flood is selected at fly-half and Tom Youngs starts at hooker.
London Welsh: Tom Arscott; Phil MacKenzie, Sonny Parker, Hudson Tonga’uiha, Joe Ajuwa; Gordon Ross, Jonah Holmes; Franck Montanella, Neil Briggs, Paulica Ion; Jonathan Mills (capt.), Kirill Kulemin; Ed Williamson, Lee Beach, Daniel Browne.
Replacements: Greg Bateman, Tom Bristow, Arthur Joly, Martin Purdy, Alfie To’oala, Nick Runciman, Seb Jewell, Nick Scott.
Leicester: Murphy (capt); Hamilton, Tuilagi, Allen, Goneva; Flood, Young; Mulipola, T Youngs, Cole; Andrew, Parling; Mafi, Salvi, Waldrom.
Replacements: Chuter, Stankovich, Castrogiovanni, B Deacon, Crane, Harrison, Ford, Smith.
Predictions: Despite all their determination, it’s going to be a long day against the Leicester armada.
Saracens v London Irish
Chris Ashton starts on the wing for his new club and Kelly Brown makes his competitive return after sustaining a serious knee injury in January but Owen Farrell misses the game after picking up a knock in training.
New signings Tomas O’Leary, Scott Lawson and Bryn Evans bring international pedigree to the Exiles’ starting XV but the mercurial Shane Geraghty has to make do with a substitute role on his return to the club.
Saracens: Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Joel Tomkins, Brad Barritt, Chris Wyles; Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Schalk Brits, Petrus du Plessis; Steve Borthwick (capt.), Mouritz Botha; Kelly Brown, Will Fraser, Ernst Joubert.
Replacements:  Jamie George, Rhys Gill, Carlos Nieto, Eoin Sheriff, Jackson Wray, Neil de Kock, Nils Mordt, James Short.
London Irish: Tom Homer; Topsy Ojo, Jonathan Joseph, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Marland Yarde; Steve Shingler, Tomás O’Leary; Max Lahiff, Scott Lawson, Leo Halavatau; George Skivington, Bryn Evans (capt.); Jamie Gibson, Ofisa Treviranus, Jon Fisher.
Replacements: Brian Blaney, Halani Aulika, Cai Griffiths, Kieran Low, Declan Danaher, Alex Gray, Shane Geraghty, Jack Moates.
Predictions: Sarries promised us attacking rugby (and with that back line they can!), we know Irish will. Should be a try fest at HQ but Tom Homer’s accuracy from the tee will win it for Irish.
Wasps v Harlequins
James Haskell starts at blindside flanker after returning from playing stints in France, Japan and New Zealand while Christian Wade and Tom Varndell form a lightning quick wing partnership.
England captain Chris Robshaw leads the defending champions while experienced former All Black fly-half Nick Evans will be making his 100th appearance for the club.
Wasps: Hugo Southwell (capt.); Christian Wade, Elliot Daly, Andrea Masi, Tom Varndell; Nick Robinson, Joe Simpson; Tim Payne, Tom Lindsay, Fabio Staibano; Marco Wentzel, Joe Launchbury; James Haskell, Jonathan Poff, Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: Rhys Thomas, Simon McIntyre, Zak Taulafo, Tom Palmer, Ashley Johnson, Nic Berry, Tommy Bell, Chris Mayor.
Harlequins: Mike Brown; Tom Williams, Matt Hopper, Jordan Turner-Hall, George Lowe; Nick Evans, Danny Care; Joe Marler, Joe Gray, James Johnston; Olly Kohn, George Robson; Maurie Fa’asavalu, Chris Robshaw (capt.), Nick Easter.
Replacements: Rob Buchanan, Mark Lambert, Will Collier, Charlie Matthews, Tom Guest, Karl Dickson, Ben Botica, Ross Chisholm.
Predictions: The new experienced players will do Wasps some good but Quins will be just too much too soon for them.
Worcester v Bath
Lock Dean Schofield captains the side after his arrival from Toulon and Fijian centre Josh Matavesi will look to add a new dimension to Worcester’s attacking game.
Former rugby league star Kyle Eastmond is given his chance to impress on the wing while Welsh international Paul James starts at prop after joining Bath from the Ospreys.
Worcester: Pennell; Drauniniu, Grove, Matavesi, Lemi; Goode, Perry; Mullan, Lutui, Andress; Percival, Schofield (capt.); Chris Jones, Betty, Taulava.
Replacements: Hayes, Ceri Jones, Currie, Gillies, Kvesic, Arr, Carlisle, Howard.
Bath: Nick Abendanon; Tom Biggs, Dan Hipkiss, Matt Banahan, Kyle Eastmond; Olly Barkley, Michael Claassens; Paul James, Lee Mears, David Wilson; Stuart Hooper (capt.), Dominic Day; Carl Fearns, Francois Louw, Ben Skirving.
Replacements Ross Batty, Nathan Catt, Kane Palma-Newport, Dave Attwood, Will Skuse, Mark McMillan, Ollie Devoto, Jack Cuthbert.
Predictions: Will start the end of the under-achieving era for Bath at one of the toughest place to visit.
Read all the reports in Sunday’s edition of The Rugby Paper.