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Yahoo-Eurosport continues its look at the teams competing in the Guinness Premiership this season.

GLOUCESTER

Coach: Dean Ryan

Ground: Kingsholm

Last season: 1st (lost in semi-finals)

Captain: Mike Tindall (centre)

Key player: James Simpson-Daniel (pictured)

Opening game: Leicester (H) Sept 7

Prediction: Top four

Players in: Matthew Watkins (centre ) from Llanelli Scarlets; Olly Barkley (centre) from Bath; David Young (scrum-half) from Leicester; Adam Eustace (lock) from Llanelli Scarlets; Greg Somerville (prop) from Canterbury Crusaders.

Players out: James Bailey (wing) TBC; Chris Paterson (full-back/wing) to Edinburgh; Leon Lloyd (centre/wing) - retired; Mike Prendergast (scrum-half) to Munster; Ali James (centre) to Ealing; Jonathan Pendlebury (lock) to Leeds; Dan Tuohy (lock) to Exeter; Christian Califano (prop) - retired; Adam Balding (flanker) to Newcastle.

Having finished top of the regular season table for the second year running, Gloucester were again beaten by Leicester in the knock-out stages, this time by a point in the semi-finals.

Coach Dean Ryan is a popular figure with the Kingsholm faithful, but they could grow impatient if he again fails to deliver silverware this year. Two new arrivals in the West Country should certainly strengthen to his squad - Olly Barkley from arch-rivals Bath and All Blacks prop Greg Sommerville from the Crusaders.

Barkley offers Ryan greater options in midfield and will be looking to forge a winning partnership with fellow-England centre Mike Tindall, while Sommerville will give some much needed Kiwi grunt and nous to the front-row.

Expect another major contribution from wing James Simpson-Daniel, who has forced his way back into England reckoning after an outstanding campaign in 2007-8.

Gloucester will be without dynamic flanker Akapusi Qera and number eight Gareth Delve until Christmas due to knee operations, but Ryan will be hoping the return to fitness of James Forrester will help to plug the gaps.

In the league, and in their home Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to eventual winners Munster, the Cherry and Whites failed to deliver when it really mattered. Ryan's side were given some slack because of their youthfulness and relative inexperience, but they can no longer use this as a reason for not going all the way.

There will be greater expectation on the players this time out but they certainly have the talent to step up and finish champions this term.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport