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Yahoo-Eurosport assesses the chances of another Guinness Premiership club ahead of the new season.

LONDON IRISH

Coach: Tony Booth

Ground: Madejski Stadium

Last season: 7th

Club captain: Bob Casey

Key player: Nick Kennedy (lock)

Opening game: Wasps (Twickenham) Sept 6

Prediction: Mid table

Players in: Chris Hala'Ufia (centre) from Harlequins; Elivs Seveali'I (centre) from Sale; James Buckland (hooker) from London Wasps.

Players out: Nils Mordt (centre) to Northampton; Jeremy Staunton (fly-half) to Wasps; Gonzalo Tiesi (centre) to Harlequins; Tom Warren (prop) - tbc; Juan Leguizamon, (back row) to Stade Francais; Stuart Mackie (hooker) - tbc; Phil Murphy (number eight) to Viadana; Aidan McCullen (back row) to Lansdowne.

Made up for a mediocre league campaign last season with a superb run in the Heineken Cup, where they reached the semi-finals before losing narrowly to French giants Toulouse.

Irish may have lost the architect of that run, Brian Smith, to England but under new head coach Toby Booth and former England back Mike Catt they should continue the expansive style that made them one of the league's more entertaining teams.

An exciting backline, one that includes excellent broken-play runners Topsy Ojo, Shane Geraghty, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Peter Richards and Delon Armitage, has been kept in tact and should again receive plenty of ball from the league's best-functioning lineout.

Geraghty in particular will be looking for an extended run of fitness and form to help him break back into the England team after being beset by injury over the past couple of seasons.

Locks Nick Kennedy (pictured) and Bob Casey were nigh on untouchable at set piece last season, a fact not lost on England, who look set to turn to Kennedy in the autumn internationals.

They were superbly supported by hooker of David Paice, one of the best line-out throwers in the league and whose efforts have also been recognised by England manager Martin Johnson.

The Exiles still have the core of a very good team, but they appear to lack strength in depth, especially after losing a host of players over the summer.

As a result, they could suffer during a long league campaign, and another decent cup run could spread their resources even thinner.

Expect more thrilling displays from the Exiles, but they are unlikely to be in the mix come the business end of the season.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport