The Aviva Premiership kicks off this evening with Northampton Saints v Gloucester, before moving on to the now traditional opening weekend double header at Twickenham on Saturday.

As with last year, Rhiannon Chandler-Day will be bringing you here take on one live match each week, plus a unique review of the weekend’s activity once all is done, while this year Angus Savage will be bringing you news of all things Aviva A League, which this year were are expecting to be stuffed full of school leavers from the past couple of years.

Friday

The Aviva Premiership teams announced today for the weekend’s fixtures also feature a fair smattering of young talent though, for instance tonight back to back Junior World Championship winner, Ross Moriarty, will start on the bench for Gloucester as they begin life under new Director of Rugby David Humphreys, and Attack Coach Nick Walshe, who coached the U20s to those JWC titles.

Northampton Saints have not included some of their more well known youngsters for the opening fixture, but you can be sure that Tom Stephenson will feature soon, while the likes of Howard Packman and Sam Olver may not have to wait too long for Premiership action.

Saturday

The earliest kick off on Saturday sees Bath make the trip to the AJ Bell stadium to play Sale Sharks.

The Sharks have also admirably promoted youth, with former Manchester Grammar School hooker Cameron Neild on the bench as a replacement hooker, a great achievement given the huge amount of physical development required to play in the front row at that level. Neild has been out of school for just a year so serves as great inspiration.

Bath too have named a young side, with the likes of George Ford and Anthony Watson primed to star once again. Watson, incredibly it seems, is still just 20 and will be hoping that this can be his real breakthrough season into the England starting XV.

The Double Header begins with Saracens v Wasps, and both have gone in with relatively experienced sides. Interestingly Saracens have opted for Charlie Hodgson over Owen Farrell for the season opener, perhaps a nod to the likely firm surface and therefore faster more running based game.

Wasps’ new look squad boasts a backline that looks as exciting as any and a forward pack that looks far more formidable than in recent seasons. It ought to be interesting to see how the captaincy sits with Wellington College old boy James Haskell, could it be the making of him as the World Cup approaches?

Following the conclusion of that game, London Irish v Harlequins will kick off. Many raised a few eyebrows when Quins let Tom Guest depart for London Irish, for whom he starts tomorrow, but Quins know that in the likes of Jack Clifford and James Chisholm they have some special back row men on the way through.

Speaking of which, Clifford starts on the bench for Harlequins tomorrow and the 2013 JWC winning captain will hope to make a big impression at Twickenham.

Between the two double header games Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons will kick off up at Welford Road. Both sides have opted for relatively experienced sides, but perhaps the most exciting thing for fans of English rugby will be the sight of Tom Croft in the back row. With the World Cup a year away, his fitness and form could be vital.

The prospect of Alessana Tuilagi coming off the bench for Newcastle to play against his brother Manu is also rather mouthwatering. You would not want to get in the way of that collision.

Sunday

The weekend’s Aviva Premiership action is rounded off on Sunday by London Welsh v Exeter Chiefs. London Welsh include possibly the most incredible signing in Premiership history (in fact, it would be great to hear who you think is the biggest shock signing in Premiership history, leave a comment below or tweet @FifteenRugbyXV), New Zealand’s World Cup winning scrum half, Piri Weepu.

He is one of over twenty players brought in by London Welsh so their performance is likely to be as unpredictable as a Stuart Hogg kick return, but there is certainly plenty off excitement.

So too at Exeter. They have lost a lot of top players but have recruited well in parts, particularly the signing of Thomas Waldrom in the back row. Expectation is that they may struggle this year but that with some of the most talented youngsters in the country sitting in their academy system, it is only a matter of time before Exeter really begin to bubble.

Two of those have already graduated. 2013 JWC winners Sam Hill and Henry Slade partner each other in the centres and there will be plenty of others coming through over the course of the season.

Championship

As ever there is plenty of good young talent getting some game time in the Championship this weekend. Last year’s Woodhouse Grove star Jack Maplesden starts at scrum half for Doncaster, while JWC winning prop Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi is involved for Moseley.

Louis Grimoldby is in action for Nottingham, while Bedford boast Leicester Tigers’ Harry Wells and Oaklands College’s JWC winner Nathan Earle, on dual contract with Saracens.

Aviva Premiership Teams:

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday: