The Aviva Premiership gets under way this weekend. Here we take a look at the latest betting, the key players to watch and a selection of stats.
Latest Aviva Premiership odds
European champions Saracens are Sky Bet's even-money favourites to win the Aviva Premiership title for the third time in four years this season.
The London club failed to make last year's Grand Final as Exeter secured a historic first title, but it is Saracens who are strongly fancied to return to the summit next May.
Exeter, who defeated Wasps in extra-time at Twickenham last season, are 4/1 to retain their crown with Wasps, the long-time leaders last season, 5/2 shots to go one better.
Leicester Tigers, who finished fourth after changing coach midway through the season, are 12/1 outsiders to win the Grand Final and 4/9 to make the semi-finals.
Newly promoted London Irish are the favourites to be relegated in their first season back in the top flight from Worcester (15/8).
Chiefs ready for latest chapter
Exeter captain Gareth Steenson says the Chiefs have no intention of resting on their laurels as reigning Aviva Premiership champions this season.
Barely three months after Steenson and company stung Wasps at Twickenham to land a first Premiership title, the hard work begins again with a west country derby opener against Gloucester.
And Steenson has underlined Exeter's desire to kick on, not only in the domestic arena, but also on rugby's major European stage, where he admits there is an expectation on Chiefs following their stunning Premiership title triumph.
Steenson said: "Cementing ourselves as a top four (Premiership) side has got to be the bread and butter.
"But we also realise what will be expected of us in Europe as Premiership champions. We have got to try and look to get out of the group and get ourselves in the knockout stages.
"We've got the squad, and it is a lovely challenge to have.
"There is no such thing as an easy game in the Premiership. If you don't go out and play well and perform on the day, you lose. It's as simple as that because the league is that good. You have got to be on it every single week.
"We have got to raise our game, too. We have never really done a lot of chopping and changing in terms of the squad. What we have added is bits of quality.
"It's a good place to be at the minute, and we have got to use the confidence we've got in the right way."
