Club-by-club guide for the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season

The 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season kicks off on Friday with a repeat of last season’s final between Bath and Northampton at The Recreation Ground, while Bristol travel to Newcastle. Saints will defend the title they won at Twickenham in June, which was their first Premiership crown since 2014.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the 10 runners and riders, including player signings and departures:

BATH

Ground: Recreation Ground

Head of rugby: Johann van Graan

Last season: Beaten finalists

Title odds: 3/1

Players in: Ross Molony (Leinster), Francois van Wyk (Leicester), Guy Pepper (Newcastle).

Players out: Josh McNally (Cardiff), Matt Gallagher (Benetton), Johannes Jonker (Grenoble), Elliott Stooke (Red Hurricanes Osaka), Chris Cloete, GJ van Velze (both retired).

BRISTOL BEARS

Ground: Ashton Gate

Rugby director: Pat Lam

Last season: 5th

Title odds: 10/1

Players in: Viliame Mata (Edinburgh), Lovejoy Chawatama (Harlequins).

Players out: Kyle Sinckler (Toulon), Callum Sheedy, Dan Thomas (both Cardiff), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh), Piers O’Conor (Connacht), Virimi Vakatawa (released).

EXETER CHIEFS

Ground: Sandy Park

Rugby director: Rob Baxter

Last season: 7th

Title odds: 12/1

Players in: Tamati Tua (Brumbies), Kwenzo Blose (Stormers), Jimmy Roots, Will Goodrick-Clarke (both Ealing Trailfinders).

Players out: Alec Hepburn (Scarlets), Patrick Schickerling (Glasgow), Ollie Devoto (Taumton), Jeremy Tuima (Provence).

GLOUCESTER

Ground: Kingsholm

Rugby director: George Skivington

Last season: 9th

Title odds: 40/1

Players in: Tomos Williams (Cardiff), Gareth Anscombe (unattached), Christian Wade (Racing 92), Alfie Petch (Biarritz).

Players out: Adam Hastings (Glasgow), Santiago Socino (Agen), Jonny May (Soyaux Angouleme), Fraser Balmain (Saracens), Alex Hearle (Newcastle), Harry Elrington (released).

HARLEQUINS

Ground: Twickenham Stoop

Rugby director: Billy Millard

Last season: 6th

Title odds: 8/1

Players in: Leigh Halfpenny (Crusaders), Titi Lamositele (Montpellier), Wyn Jones (Scarlets).

Players out: Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks, South Africa), Louis Lynagh (Benetton), Will Collier (Castres), Lovejoy Chawatama (Bristol), Will Edwards, Max Green (both released), Santiago Garcia Botta (retired).

LEICESTER TIGERS

Ground: Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Rugby director: Michael Cheika

Last season: 8th

Title odds: 12/1

Players in: Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Corne Beets (Blue Bulls, South Africa), Izaia Perese (New South Wales Waratahs).

Players out: Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks, Japan), Francois van Wyk (Bath), Nic Dolly (Western Force), Kieran Wilkinson (Newcastle), Phil Cokanasiga (Ospreys), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Guy Porter (retired).

NEWCASTLE FALCONS

Ground: Kingston Park

Consultant rugby director: Steve Diamond

Last season: 10th

Title odds: 250/1

Players in: Alex Hearle (Gloucester), Luan de Bruin (Edinburgh), Cameron Neild, Conor Doherty (both Sale Sharks), Kieran Wilkinson (Leicester), Jack Metcalf (Doncaster), Thomas Gordon (Glasgow).

Players out: Phil Brantingham, Louie Johnson (both Saracens), Guy Pepper (Bath), Iwan Stephens, Rory Jennings (both Cardiff), George Wacokecoke (Doncaster), Matias Moroni (released).

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Ground: Franklin’s Gardens

Rugby director: Phil Dowson

Last season: Champions

Title odds: 5/2

Players in: Josh Kemeny (Melbourne Rebels), Callum Hunter-Hill, Tom West (both Saracens).

Players out: Courtney Lawes (Brive), Lewis Ludlam (Toulon), Alex Moon (Bayonne), Sam Matavesi (Lyon), Paul Hill (Edinburgh), Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Cardiff), Alex Waller, Ethan Waller, Tom Cruse (all retired).

SALE SHARKS

Ground: Salford Community Stadium

Rugby director: Alex Sanderson

Last season: 3rd

Title odds: 7/1

Players in: Waisea Nayacalevu (Toulon), Will Addison (Ulster), Le Roux Roets (Sharks, South Africa).

Players out: Manu Tuilagi (Bayonne), Sam James (Racing 92), Cameron Neild, Conor Doherty (both Newcastle), Agustin Creevy, Telusa Veainu (both released).

SARACENS

Ground: StoneX Stadium

Rugby director: Mark McCall

Last season: 4th

Title odds: 3/1

Players in: Fergus Burke (Crusaders), Rhys Carre (Cardiff), Phil Brantingham, Louie Johnson (both Newcastle), Sam Spink (Western Force), Fraser Balmain (Gloucester).

Players out: Owen Farrell (Racing 92), Billy Vunipola (Montpellier), Mako Vunipola (Vannes), Christian Judge (Beziers), Aled Davies (Cardiff), Tom West, Callum Hunter-Hill (Northampton), Ben Harris (Ealing Trailfinders), Logovi’i Mulipola (Doncaster), Tim Swiel, Dom Morris (both released), Sean Maitland, Alex Lewington (both retired).