Friday 1 September 2017 10:19, UK
With the season just around the corner and a number of big summer signings hitting the headlines, we select five new additions to the Aviva Premiership to watch as the action gets underway.
Sam Underhill (Bath)
Already an England international after making his full debut in the second Test against Argentina this summer, Underhill is one of the most eagerly anticipated signings of the new Premiership season.
His international debut was quiet by his standards, finding himself overshadowed by the performance of Tom Curry the week before, so he will be keen to show England and Bath supporters the kind of performances that became synonymous with him in an Ospreys shirt.
Eddie Jones sees the 21-year-old as a potential answer to his country's openside problems ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and at Bath the former England U18s captain will have the opportunity to learn from Francois Louw.
Speaking at the time of the signing, Bath's director of rugby Todd Blackadder said: "We've got a really strong contingent of back rows in the squad, and Sam's addition will boost that even further.
"He's a very talented young player, and we can't wait to see him develop even more over the coming seasons."
Matt Kvesic (Exeter)
After being handed limited opportunities at Gloucester last season - he started just four Premiership games - Kvesic will be keen to get his career back up and running with a new start at the Chiefs.
Like Underhill, Kvesic was touted as a potential No 7 under Jones, but has found himself on the outside of the national set-up in recent years.
While a change of scenery may help Kvesic rediscover previous form, a new outlook on rugby could also help. His game suffered in a Gloucester side that struggled to make their mark and fulfill their potential, while Exeter are currently at the top of their powers going into the season as reigning Premiership champions, and his new boss Rob Baxter is keen for the three-time capped international to build on his game during his time at Sandy Park.
"I think at Gloucester he's become very defensively organised and defensively-biased," said Baxter. "We'd like to see him become a bit more of an attacking player and an attacking option with us, and add a bit more balance to his game."
Juan de Jongh (Wasps)
While Juan de Jongh may not have the big-name feel of some of Wasps' backline signings in previous years, expect the 29-year-old centre to have a sizeable impact on his new team.
De Jongh has won 19 caps for the Springboks since making his try-scoring international debut against Wales in June 2010, and was also a member of the South African Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Domestically he made 56 appearances for Western Province since his provisional debut in 2009 and 94 Super Rugby appearances for the Stormers, scoring 75 points.
He may not have the attacking flair that Kurtley Beale provided last campaign, but he will provide a calm and experienced influence in a back division littered with stars.
Christopher Tolofua (Saracens)
With Schalk Brits in the last years of his career and Jamie George set to spend periods of time away with England, Saracens have strengthened their hooking options with the signing of explosive Christopher Tolofua.
Making the move to north London from Toulouse, Tolofua made his debut for the French club as a teenager during the 2011/2012 European campaign, and has gone on to feature heavily since then, with his domestic form seeing him earn international honours on four occasions.
Very much a player in the mould of the Vunipola brothers, expect the hard-running powerhouse to feature heavily during international periods while providing a menacing impact sub behind the current incumbents.
Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks)
The signing of scrum-half Faf de Klerk is a real statement of intent for Sale as they look to climb their way up the Aviva Premiership table.
The 25-year-old was the heartbeat of a Lions side in an impressive Super Rugby season this year which saw them reach the final for the second successive year.
With 11 Springbok caps already under his belt he brings a wealth of experience beyond his years, and will add to the number of exciting young talents that Steve Diamond has at his disposal this season.
"He is tenacious with a fantastic work rate - he dictates the tempo and direction of the game and I think he will fit in well both with our style of play, and with a young, ambitious squad." said Diamond of the scrum-half.
"He's an unbelievable ball carrier, has a solid kicking game and he is exciting around the pitch. He sees the weakness in his opposition and can leverage this to his advantage.
"He's young but has massive experience and this will be crucial in helping us to build on the foundations we have put in place this year."
