The new Premiership season kicks off on Friday night when Bristol entertain Saracens at Ashton Gate.
Saracens, relegated from the top flight in 2020 following a series of salary cap breaches and fined more than £5million, will play their first domestic top-flight game for almost a year
Fans will also be back in the stadiums this weekend. This season's top flight will comprise 13 clubs, with no relegation to the Championship.
World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward tackles the big issues.
Harlequins and Bristol have shown that positive, attacking rugby is the way forward
Is the Quins/Bristol attacking template the way forward?
Positive, imaginative, attacking rugby is the way forward generally, not just in the Premiership. I looked on in horror last weekend at the sheer poverty and boredom from the South Africa team against Australia. Rugby was not — and is not — meant to be played like that and I’m just pleased Australia won.
The Boks’ series against the Lions was little better and it should worry everyone involved in the sport that rugby is going down that route. It will be dead in five years if it does.
Thankfully, the All Blacks showed that proper rugby is alive and well when they hammered the Pumas and big congratulations to Quins and Bristol for last season as they demonstrated exciting, ball-in-hand rugby can be winning rugby.
The ball must always be your friend, not a ticking time-bomb. What is the point of neutralising your best players, kicking the leather off the ball all day?
I’d love to sit down with the South Africa team and ask them, ‘Do you really enjoy playing this way?’
Newcastle's Adam Radwan is an exciting talent and one to watch in the coming season
Supporters are back, are you excited?
Massively. Big, animated live crowds are the lifeblood of professional sport.
Premiership teams coped brilliantly without fans and I salute them but it must have been hard work and a second full season
