It's that time of year again when squad lists are confirmed and this week we'll be taking a good look at who ended up where in the Magners League.
The introduction of two Italian outfits should add something extra to the competition this time around and they have been busy building in preparation, with Aironi Rugby signing Munster's Nick Williams and Bayonne's Salvatore Perugini.
Treviso have also brought in a few names but not quite as many as their neighbours as their main signing comes from Bath. Joe Maddock is the man in question, the Premiership's top finisher once again last season so that is a real coup.
Meanwhile, the Blues have brought in Dan Parks and Michael Paterson from Glasgow and the Hurricanes respectively, Leinster signed Ulster's Isaac Boss and Ed O'Donoghue while Munster captured a big trio including Sam Tuitupou.
But the province with arguably the biggest names coming through the door has to be Ulster, who are this season boosted by such Springboks as Ruan Pienaar, Johann Muller and Pedrie Wannenberg. It should be an interesting term.
AIRONI RUGBY -
IN: Kaine Robertson (Viadana), Carlo del Fava (Viadana), Quintin Geldenhuys (Viadana), Gabriel Pizarro (Rovigo), Andrea de Marchi (Rovigo), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Matias Aguero (Saracens), Ludovic Mercier (Petrarca), Alberto de Marchi (Overmach Parma), Simone Favaro (Overmach Parma), Roberto Quartaroli (Overmach Parma), Nicola Cattina (Calvisano), Giovanbattista Venditti (Gran Parma Rugby), Giulio Rubini (Gran Parma Rugby), Tito Tebaldi (Gran Parma Rugby), George Biagi (Cavalieri Prato), Gareth Krause (Venezia), Riccardo Bocchino (Rugby Roma), Paolo Buso (Rugby Roma), Nick Williams (Munster), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester), Fabio Staibano (Castres Olympique), Salvatore Perugini (Bayonne), Julien Laharrague (Montauban), Danwel Demas (Cheetahs), Dylan Des Fountain (Stormers)
BENETTON TREVISO -
IN: Matteo Pratichetti (Viadana), Michele Sepe (Viadana), Gonzalo Padro (Petrarca), Paul Derbyshire (Petrarca), Manoa Vosawai (Overmach Parma), Francesco Minto (Overmach Parma), Edoardo Gori (Cavalieri Prato), Valerio Bernaḅ (Rugby Roma), Joe Maddock (Bath)
CARDIFF BLUES -
IN: Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors), Michael Paterson (Hurricanes), Tom Brown (London Welsh), Bryn Griffiths (Doncaster) Tom Davies (Doncaster)
OUT: Scott Morgan (Dragons), Dai Flanagan (Ospreys), Darren Allinson (London Irish), Robin Sowden-Taylor (Dragons), Sam Norton-Knight (Sanyo Wild Knights), Andy Powell (London Wasps), Billy Millard - Backs Coach (Retired)
CONNACHT -
IN: Shane Monahan (Leinster), Darragh Fanning (Leinster), Ezra Taylor (Queensland Reds), Cillian Willis (Ulster)
OUT: George Naoupu (Kobe Kobelco Steelers)
EDINBURGH -
IN: Netani Talei (Worcester Warriors), Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors), Jack Gilding (Worcester Warriors), Esteban Lozada (Toulon), Dave Denton (Edinburgh Academicals), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh University), James King (Melrose), Lee Jones (Selkirk)
OUT: Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Ali Hogg (Newcastle Falcons), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester), Dave Callam (Released), Simon Cross (Retired)
GLASGOW WARRIORS -
IN: Ryan Grant (Edinburgh), Federico Martin Aramburu (Dax), Robert Harley (West of Scotland), James Fleming (Dundee HSFP), Ryan Wilson (Moseley), Aly Muldowney (Moseley), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Hawks), Alex Dunbar (Selkirk), Chris Fusaro (Heriot's FP), Henry Pyrgos (Loughborough University)
OUT: Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues), Mark McMillan (Bath), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Dan Turner (Toyota Shokki Shuttles), Tim Barker (Ulster)
LEINSTER -
IN: Ed O'Donoghue (Ulster), Isaac Boss (Ulster), Heinke van der Merwe (Golden Lions), Joe Schmidt - Head Coach (Clermont Auvergne)
OUT: CJ Van Der Linde (Cheetahs), Simon Keogh (Released), Chris Keane (Released) Malcolm O'Kelly (Retired), Girvan Dempsey (Retired), Bernard Jackman (Retired), Michael Cheika - Head Coach (Stade Francais), Chris Whittaker - Team Manager (Stade Francais), Alan Gaffney - Backs Coach (IRFU), Kurt McQuilkin - Defence Coach (Retired), Kyle Tonetti (Sale Sharks)
MUNSTER -
IN: Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers), Sam Tuitupou (Worcester Warriors), Wian Du Preez (Cheetahs), Peter Borlase (Crusaders), Corey Hircock (Bedford)
OUT: Nick Williams (Aironi Rugby), Jeremy Manning (Newcastle Falcons), Julien Brugnaut (Racing Metro), Jean de Villiers (Stormers), Ciaran O'Boyle (Released), Eoghan Grace (Exeter Chiefs)
DRAGONS -
IN: Matthew Jones (Worcester Warriors), Hugo Ellis (London Wasps), Arthur Ellis (London Wasps), Nicky Griffiths (Doncaster), Andrew Coombs (Newport), Tom Evans (Hartpury College), Danny Wilson - Forwards Skills Coach (London Welsh), Scott Morgan (Cardiff Blues), Robin Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues)
OUT: Richard Fussell (Ospreys), Hoani MacDonald (Melbourne Rebels), Grant Webb (Otago), James Arlidge (Nottingham), James Harris (Released), Alex Walker (Released)
OSPREYS -
IN: Dai Flanagan (Cardiff Blues), Richard Fussell (Dragons), Mefin Davies (Leicester Tigers), Morgan Allen (Pontypool)
OUT: Ed Shervington (Worcester Warriors), Marc Breeze (London Welsh), Liam Davies (Dax), Ross Davies (Released), Jonny Vaughton (Released), Lyndon Bateman (Retired), Filo Tiatia (Retired)
SCARLETS -
IN: Joe Ajuwa (Llandovery), Gavin Quinnell (Viadana)
OUT: Rob Higgitt (Worcester Warriors), Darren Daniel (Carmarthen Quins), Jamie Corsi (Released), Mark Jones (Retired), Simon Easterby (Retired), John Muggleton - Defence Coach
ULSTER -
IN: Ruan Pienaar (Sharks), Johann Muller (Sharks), Pedrie Wannenburg (Bulls), Tim Barker (Glasgow Warriors)
OUT: Ed O'Donoghue (Leinster), Isaac Boss (Leinster), Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier), Clinton Schifcofske (Crusaders, Rugby League), Justin Fitzpatrick (Retired), Matt McCullough (Retired), Tamaiti Horua (Released)
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