Thursday 1 September 2016 19:24, UK
We caught up with Sky Sports pundits Ieuan Evans, Shane Horgan, Rory Lawson and Scott Quinnell to talk Guinness PRO12 and Lions ahead of the new season, which gets underway this weekend.
There is a PRO12 double-header live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Saturday as the Scarlets face Munster and defending champions Connacht face 2015 winners Glasgow Warriors.
Our pundits pick their young players to watch, dark horses and make their predictions for the PRO12, Premiership and Champions Cup, while also looking ahead to next summer's British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.
Rory Lawson: Glenn Bryce had to sit behind Stuart Hogg at Glasgow last season. He's moved to Edinburgh and should get more game time. He was impressive while he was playing for Glasgow last season but it will all be dependent on if he gets enough ball at full-back playing for Edinburgh to impress.
Alongside that I would have James Davies. Obviously everyone saw in the Olympic Sevens how good he is and we all saw that in the PRO12 last season. Playing alongside his brother Jonathan at Scarlets this season, I think that he'll take it onto another level.
Scott Quinnell: After the silver medal at the Olympics and his brilliant season last year, I think that if James Davies maintains that form he could be pushing for an international and maybe a Lions spot.
Shane Horgan: He's still a young player and had a bit of a breakthrough last year, but it's an important season for Garry Ringrose. He showed us a glimpse of the talent that he has last year, and it'll be really interesting to watch him develop a relationship with Robbie Henshaw. If he has a big season I think he can make a major impact on the PRO12 and possibly with Ireland.
Ieuan Evans: There are always going to be quality youngsters, that's the nature of the PRO12. They get blooded very early. Take Leinster last year; Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose would not have expected a lot of games but look what happened there. I'm expecting Ringrose to step up alongside Henshaw.
Across the pond in Wales, there is a lot of really exciting young talent. James Davies has come back from the Olympic Games with a silver medal. Can he now push his case forward for an 15s international slot at openside? It'll be interesting to see how he goes.
SH: The amount of time that Sean O'Brien hasn't played is a real issue for Leinster. He is an exceptional player and they're a different unit when he's playing, but they've had to manage without him for large chunks of the past two seasons.
It's going to be quite a tricky season for Leinster. They're not going to have all of their players intact from the start but that's not unusual. They finished top of the PRO12 last season but it didn't feel like a very successful season. There was disappointment in the final, Europe wasn't good, and there was a general feeling that they never hit their straps and played well enough against the big teams. It will be interesting to see how they develop from that perspective.
IE: The Scarlets have invested heavily. Jon Davies is back and they have a really exciting back three of Liam Williams, DTH van der Merwe and Johnny McNicholl, who has signed from the Crusaders. Add in Rhys Patchell, Davies and Scott Williams - and two international scrum-halves - and that's a pretty handy backline.
The big question is, can the forwards provide them with quality ball. The challenge now for the Scarlets is to make the play-offs. Given the large investment that has to be their goal.
SQ: Scarlets have got some incredible players in their backline like Gareth Davis, Rhys Patchell, Scott Williams and Hadleigh Parks, who was unbelievable and played almost every minute for them last year.
They'll miss Samson Lee and Rob Evans at the start of the season but Ken Owens is looking good and if the pack can get some ball out to the backs then they could be devastating.
RL: I think Edinburgh will be much better than they were last season. I think that their target has to be Champions Cup and I think that it's very achievable for them to make the top six. They've added to their squad, I think that Duncan Hodge will have more of a say in their attacking game.
Edinburgh are underpinned by a strong pack and have brought in Junior Rosolea who could add a bit of x-factor alongside Glenn Bryce.
SQ: Connacht last year were just absolutely unbelievable, they were brilliant. Will we see the likes of that happening again? Maybe not for a couple of years. But, if you look at dark horses for this year, because it's a Lions year the best players will want to play at their best levels, I think that Glasgow will have a massive year because they've got a great squad and because of Gregor Townsend leaving.
SH: Not in the way Connacht did because it was so unprecedented. Connacht have shown everyone else in the league that there is a different way of doing things. Your resources aren't necessarily the be-all and end-all. It doesn't stop you from competing.
I'd be fairly confident that we'll see Connacht perform again but I don't think we'll see another bolter like that. The teams that haven't done well in the PRO12 over the years, none of them are doing something so revolutionary to enable them to buck the trend.
IE: If you weren't in raptures by the manner of Connacht's performances and their style of rugby, then you haven't got a soul. It was just a stunning achievement for the province. They have lost three big-hitters though in Robbie Henshaw, Aly Muldowney and AJ McGinty, who came to the fore later in the season. The weight is going to have to go on Bundee Aki's shoulders. He was brilliant last year and will have to take the lion's share of that workload.
Can they repeat it? It's going to be a struggle. Of the Irish provinces, I think Leinster could have a big season, especially if they get some of those injured players back. They used 56 players last year and their youngsters will be better again. Kurt McQuilkin is a loss because their defence was excellent last year, but that could allow their attack to flourish as the emphasis goes elsewhere.
Going back to Wales, I think the Ospreys will be stronger this year. They've signed Bradley Davies and Kieron Fonotia and are expected to step up again.
SQ: I've got this feeling that you get every now and again... James Davies. It is just one of those things from Olympic medallist to International to Lions player. Jon played four years ago and you just think, 'I'd watch that movie!' He'll be one to look out for.
SH: I think the idea of a Lions bolter is almost a throwback. The way the Lions used to be picked is a lot different to now. It's very unlikely that someone we won't have heard of now will play on a Lions tour in nine months' time. You want players who are on form but a coach will only pick players he knows can compete at Test level. It's becoming increasingly less likely but that's not to say we won't be surprised over the next nine months.
RL: Elliot Daly.
IE: It's quite hard to see left-field bolsters like Eric Miller; I think those days are gone. What we do know is the challenge facing the Lions is a considering one. I've just come from the Wales tour and New Zealand are playing some outstanding rugby. The worrying thing is they're improving!
The Lions haven't won a series in New Zealand since 1971. I went there in '93 full of big expectations and it remains one of the biggest disappointments of my career not to win that. On the last visit in 2005 the Lions were annihilated.
Playing all five provincial sides, New Zealand Maori and three Tests against the All Blacks is enormous. Can they do it? It needs to be a strong squad that is lucky with injuries.
SH: There are players who played on Lions tours before that need to have a big season. If you look at the Leinster contingent, at the moment there are not many people that will go on tour.
Jonathan Davies was such a success last time around and Warren Gatland knows him. If he gets himself back into form he should be selected. Leigh Halfpenny is another. He has been injured for almost an entire season and needs to play a few games for Wales. If he does that he'll probably be one of the first names on the list.
SQ: Everybody needs to start the season strongly because it was such a young squad that went out for the Lions four years ago and a lot of those players are available again this time around. They'll be the sprinkling of new younger players like Maro Itoje and George Kruis coming through.
Look at it like this: you've got Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Jake Ball, Maro Itoje, George Kuris, Courtney Lawes, the Gray brothers. Try and pick five of them!
Everybody has to start well because you only have to slip up once this year and you won't be touring.
IE: The lifeblood of a Lions touring squad is competition. Going back to '93, there wasn't enough competition for places. You can't survive on a tour purely having 15 to 18 players. Competition has to be healthy and robust. The talent is there but they need to be on top of their game. It cannot be based on what you did last year; it's all about the now.
Ieuan Evans
PRO12: Leinster
Premiership: Saracens
Champions Cup: I wouldn't be surprised if it was another Saracens-Racing 92 final.
Shane Horgan
PRO12: Glasgow Warriors
Premiership: Wasps
Champions Cup: Racing 92
Rory Lawson
PRO12: Ulster
Premiership: Saracens
Champions Cup: Who knows?! Saracens to go back-to-back because I genuinely don't know!
Scott Quinnell
PRO12: Glasgow Warriors
Aviva Premiership: Saracens
Champions Cup: Saracens. I just think that they are too good and that they'll do the 'double double'. I think that they've got something very special going on at the club, they've got that mentality and have Schalk Burger coming in for Jacques Burger. You look at them and wonder who's going to beat them?
