Top 5 Premiership Rugby transfers ahead of the 2017/18 season

With just under 5 weeks until the Aviva Premiership gets back underway, each of the 12 sides have been busy acquiring and parting company with a number of players. So if you haven't worked it out already I will be going through the best signings of the summer so far in my opinion.

5. Saia Fainga'a To London irish

At 5 we have everybody's favourite dreadlocked Australian hooker who has signed from the Brumbies. He will offer them years of experience from his time as Australia's first choice Hooker and the Queensland Reds. He will bring them that solidarity at the lineout and scrum which will give a good foundations for backs such as Luke McLean and Napolioni Nalaga to attack and should form a formidable front row containing Ben Franks. This means that they stand a good chance of avoiding relegation but you can never be certain with the unpredictability of the Premiership.

4.Owen Williams TO GLOUCESTER

The understudy of Freddie Burns for the past season has landed himself a leading role at Gloucester. Owen Williams has performed for the Tigers on many occasions during his 4 year spell at Welford Road consistently showing his great long range ability with the boot and his ability to create space for his fellow backs to run into. In my opinion he has a lot of potential within him and become one of the best fly halves in the league and challenge Dan Biggar for the Wales 10 shirt. His fiery temper will also be an interesting watch in the west country derby.

3.Will Skelton TO SARACENS

Could big 6'8" Will Skelton be the home wrecker in the relationship of the power couple that are Maro Itoje and George Kruis? It's not bad injury cover is it really? After playing for Saracens 3 times in a short term deal from the Waratahs he returns to Allianz park to give Saracens many second row options and them that crash ball go forward that he has become well known for in his time in an Australia shirt. However with 3 international Locks Saracens may encounter an issue during the autumn if they are all away with their nations. With Will Skelton and a few other additions make Saracens firm favourites to finish top of the pile come May 2018.

2.James O'Connor TO sALE SHARKS

James O'Connor returns to the Premiership to add to Sale's potentially explosive back line that includes Denny Solomona, Josh Charnley and Johnny Leota. He will bring his natural flair to Manchester and should get straight into the swing of things after his stint with London Irish in the 2013/14 season only scoring one try but being clinical with the boot. With the array of young talent at Sale in the form of players like the Curry brothers, Sale look to be challenging for the champions cup places but the play offs maybe to much to ask for these youngsters however O'Connor will bring X factor to the Sharks and will trouble opposition defenses with his quick feet and expansive running game he should be a very good addition to the Premiership.

1.Liam Williams TO SARACENs

One of the standout players during the British & Irish Lions Tour, Williams moves to North West London with the plan of replacing the Ash-Splash shaped hole left in the Sarries back line but is no downgrade. Williams showed his ability to make metres on the Lions tour with the most evident example of this being his great break in the first test to glide past a handful of All Blacks defenders and set up the move leading to Sean O'Brien's phenomenal try. He has shown this form consistently for Scarlets over the past few seasons being solid under the high ball and good finishing. He has secured his spot in Wales's back three due to these consistent performances but I don't see him taking the 15 shirt from Alex Goode but will start on one of the wings and I can see him driving Saracens towards a home semi final at the end of the season.

Other great pieces of transfer business that have been done include Freddie Burns and Sam Underhill to Bath, Matt Kvesic to Exeter, GeorgeFord to Leicester ,Maxime Mermoz ,Ryan Burrows, D.T.H. van der Merwe to Newcastle, Rob Horne to Northampton, Calum Clark to Saracens and Marcus Watson to Wasps. With transfer speculation about many other players such as Damien Mckenzie to Tigers and Dan Biggar to Northampton it promises to be an interesting watch come 1st September.