Aviva Premiership team news, statistics, kick-off times & odds ahead of the opening weekend's action.
Saturday
London Irish v Harlequins
- Date: Saturday September 2
- Kick-off time: 1630 BST
- TV Channel: BT Sport
- Venue: Twickenham
- Sky Bet odds: London Irish 5/2, Harlequins 2/7
Irish tackle Harlequins on their Premiership return with prop Petrus du Plessis and lock Franco van der Merwe both making their debuts for the Exiles. Hooker David Paice, with more than 250 appearances for Irish behind him, captains the team.
Quins hand debuts to fly-half Marcus Smith and lock Ben Glynn at Twickenham, while new fly-half signing Demetri Catrakilis is on the bench. There are also starts for the likes of Jamie Roberts, Joe Marler and Chris Robshaw, with full-back Mike Brown equalling Nick Easter's Quins record for most first team appearances.
Last season: No corresponding fixture
Last Six League Matches: N/A
Top try scorers: N/A
Top points scorers: N/A
Referee: Tom Foley
Saracens v Northampton
- Date: Saturday September 2
- Kick-off time: 2000 BST
- TV Channel: BT Sport
- Venue: Twickenham
- Sky Bet odds: Saracens 2/9, Northampton 3/1
British and Irish Lions forwards Maro Itoje and George Kruis make an immediate return to Premiership action for Saracens, with both players starting against Northampton at Twickenham. Kruis partners second-row debutant Dominic Day, with Itoje starting at blindside flanker. Elsewhere, Alex Lozowski wears the number 10 shirt, with wing Nathan Earle also handed a start.
Former Bristol back-row forward Mitch Eadie makes a Premiership debut for Saints, packing down alongside Tom Wood and Lewis Ludlam, with Harry Mallinder starting at fly-half and Lions forward Courtney Lawes also featuring in a side skippered by Dylan Hartley.
Last season: Northampton 25 Saracens 27, Saracens 27 Northampton 12
Last Six League Matches: N/A
Top try scorers: N/A
Top points scorers: N/A
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Wasps v Sale
- Date: Saturday September 2
- Kick-off time: 1500 BST
- TV Channel: N/A
- Venue: Ricoh Arena
- Sky Bet odds: Wasps 1/6, Sale 7/2
New signing Gaby Lovobalavu is handed a start in Wasps' Premiership opener, while his fellow summer arrivals Juan De Jongh and Marcus Watson are included among the replacements. Lock Joe Launchbury skippers the side, with his fellow England forward Nathan Hughes also featuring, and fly-half Danny Cipriani facing his former club.
Three of Sale's new signings - scrum-half Faf de Klerk, flanker Jono Ross and number eight Josh Strauss - all start at the Ricoh Arena, while wing Denny Solomona (pictured) also features. England back-row prospect Tom Curry is on the bench, but his twin brother Ben starts at openside flanker.
Last season: Sale 34 Wasps 28, Wasps 34 Sale 24
Last Six League Matches: N/A
Top try scorers: N/A
Top points scorers: N/A
Referee: JP Doyle
Sunday
Leicester v Bath
- Date: Sunday September 3
- Kick-off time: 1500 BST
- TV Channel: BT Sport
- Venue: Welford Road
- Sky Bet odds: Leicester 4/9, Bath 13/8
England centre Manu Tuilagi makes his first Premiership appearance since January after recovering from a knee injury, and he is joined in midfield by fit-again Australian Matt Toomua. Elsewhere, fly-half George Ford faces his former club and there is a Premiership debut in Tigers colours for his England colleague Jonny May on the left wing. Lions prop Dan Cole is among the replacements.
Lions trio Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph and Taulupe Faletau all start for Bath at Welford Road, with Watson featuring at full-back and Semesa Rokoduguni and Matt Banahan on the wings. Fit-again hooker Tom Dunn makes a first Premiership start since February, while flanker Francois Louw is also back from injury.
Last season: Bath 27 Leicester 21, Leicester 34 Bath 14
Last Six League Matches: N/A
Top try scorers: N/A
Top points scorers: N/A
Referee: Luke Pearce