The new Guinness Premiership season gets underway in England this weekend in the shadow of the Rugby World Cup.

Saturday, September 15

+ Bath (1) v Worcester (12)

Bath have made three changes to the starting line-up for the 29-9 victory over Leinster in their final pre-season friendly. Ryan Davis has come in at fly-half, with Shaun Berne moving to the midfield and Alex Crockett left out of the 22. Prop Aaron Jarvis comes in for Paulica Ion, who has been handed a World Cup call-up by Romania, while James Scaysbrook replaces Andy Beattie.

Number eight Kai Horstmann is fit following shoulder surgery this  summer and will start for Worcester. Skipper Pat Sanderson and Shane  Drahm also return after sitting out the pre-season game with London  Irish, while youngsters Chris Pennell and Tom Wood have been rewarded  for impressive pre-seasons.

Last season: Worcester 21 Bath 15, Bath 17 Worcester 11
This season: No games played
Last six league matches: Bath L W L D L W; Worcester W W W L L W

Referee: M Fox (RFU)

+ Harlequins (4) v London Irish (7)

Harlequins have made one change to the team that started the 31-8  victory over Connacht in their final pre-season friendly. Hal  Luscombe comes in at outside centre, with Ugo Monye switching to the  left wing and Simon Keogh dropping to the bench. Chris Malone, the  summer signing from Bath, will make his Quins debut at fly-half.

London Irish have selected a host of fresh faces with Mark Ireland  starting at outside centre with Richard Thorpe as openside flanker,  while Gary Johnson, Stuart Mackie, Dan Murphy and Dominic Shabbo are  amongst the replacements. Former Wasps fly-half Jeremy Staunton and  ex-Saracens wing Tomas De Vedia will make their debut for the Exiles.

Last season: Harlequins 34 London Irish 17, London Irish 20 Harlequins 19
This season: No games played
Last six league matches: Harlequins L L L W L W; London Irish W W L L W L

Referee: A Rowden (RFU).

+ Wasps (11) v Saracens (10)

Wasps will give debuts to Pat Barnard and James Buckland in the front  row, along with fellow summer recruit Riki Flutey. Flutley moves in  from centre to fly-half to cover the absence of Dave Walder, who was  ruled out with a niggling knee problem, while new prop Michael  Holford has been named on the bench.

Fly-half Gordon Ross and wing Francisco Leonelli will make their  Saracens debut, while wing Edd Thrower, another summer signing, has  been named amongst the replacements. Leonelli, an Argentina  international signed from Glasgow, is joined in the back three by  Rodd Penney and Dan Scarbrough.

Last season: Wasps 27 Saracens 26, Saracens 19 Wasps 21
This season: No games played
Last six league matches: Wasps W W L W W L; Saracens L W W L W L

Referee: S Davey (RFU).

Sunday, September 16

+ Bristol (2) v Leicester (6)

Bristol coach Richard Hill has kept faith with most of the players  that took Bristol to last season’s semi-finals, although there will  be a Guinness Premiership debut for scrum-half Graeme Beveridge, a  summer recruit from Glasgow. Scott Linklater fills in for England  hooker Mark Regan while Andrew Blowers will play at number eight as  Dan Ward-Smith (knee) continues his recovery.

Leicester will give debuts to five summer signings, including former  Wasps wing Ayoola Erinle. Australian international Owen Finegan  starts as openside flanker with Springbok Marco Wentzel playing at  lock, while former Stade Francais hooker Benjamin Kayser and ex-Albi  prop Boris Stankovich will also pack down for the Tigers.

Last season: Bristol 30 Leicester 13, Leicester 43 Bristol 15
This season: No games played
Last six league matches: Bristol L L W W W L; Leicester W L W W L W

Referee: R Maybank (RFU).

+ Leeds Carnegie (5) v Gloucester (3)

Four players will make their debut for Leeds, with full-back Jon Goodridge playing against his former club after moving from Gloucester this summer. The half-back pairing of Alberto Di Bernardo  and Joe Bedford also joined this summer, from Cornish Pirates and  Rotherham, respectively, while ex-Rotherham back row Hendre Fourie is  also on debut.

Lesley Vainikolo will play his first competitive game in rugby union  and is one of three new faces for Gloucester. The former Bradford  Bulls star has been named on the wing and will be joined in the three- quarters by former Leicester
centre Leon Lloyd and former Munster and  Bourgoin scrum-half Mike Prendergast.

Last season: No corresponding fixture
This season: No games played
Last six league matches: Leeds Carnegie L L L L L L; Gloucester W W W D L W

Referee: D Rose (RFU).

+ Newcastle (8) v Sale (9)

Tighthead prop Micky Ward and wing Tom May will both make their 200th  competitive appearance for Newcastle. The Falcons will be captained  by new club skipper Phil Dowson, who helped England Saxons to  Churchill Cup glory this summer, while fly-half Toby Flood will start  after being overlooked by England.

Fly-half Charlie Hodgson will make his return from a cruciate  ligament injury for Sale after being overlooked by England. Magnus  Lund and Chris Jones also missed out on World Cup selection and have  been named in the starting line-up,
although David Tait is on standby  as Jones suffered a minor neck injury in midweek.

Last season: Newcastle 40 Sale 25, Sale 18 Newcastle 26
This season: No games played
Last six league matches: Newcastle W L L W W L; Sale L L D L W L