Mike Ruddock is determined to ruin Northampton’s return when the Saints march back into the Guinness Premiership this weekend.

Northampton, last season’s unbeaten National League One champions, make their first Premiership appearance since Worcester sent them plummeting through the trap-door 16 months ago.

Warriors’ victory over Saracens at Sixways on a dramatic final day of the 2006-7 Premiership campaign consigned Saints to relegation.

And Worcester, a rising force enhanced by full-back star Chris Latham’s arrival from Australia, once again loom large this weekend.

They have won their last five games in all competitions at Franklin’s Gardens, suggesting Sunday’s lunchtime summit could prove anything but a heavenly experience for Saints and the vast majority of a bumper crowd.

Worcester boss Ruddock said: “We’ve had 12 months to shape the squad and get things right. Now, we need to deliver on the field.

“The test will be a game away from home, particularly against a team like Northampton.

“I am sure they are very keen to get off to a flying start and show people they are back big-time, but we are hoping we can get a result.

“Northampton have made a lot of new signings and changes in personnel. They look a very strong outfit and they’ve got a lot of talent to pick from.

“We have done our homework on them. We even sent coaches out to France to see them recently, which we needed to do because we need to pay them the respect they are due.”

Saints rugby director Jim Mallinder, who parades six summer signings, added: “Worcester are one of the up and coming teams in England.

“We’ve performed well in pre-season, but that will not matter come Sunday afternoon. It is a massive challenge that the players and coaches are all excited about and motivated to meet.”

Champions Wasps return to Twickenham tomorrow, barely three months after clinching their fourth title in six seasons at English rugby headquarters when Lawrence Dallaglio bowed out of the sport in triumphant fashion.

London Irish are Wasps’ opponents in the opening segment to this season’s London double-header, which also sees Saracens tackling Harlequins.

James Haskell wears the number eight shirt vacated by Dallaglio in a powerful Wasps line-up, but Irish launch their season minus injured skipper Bob Casey and his fellow casualty, key back Shane Geraghty.

Saracens, now under the tutelage of Australian visionary Eddie Jones, parade major summer signings Steve Borthwick and Michael Owen, while revered New Zealand Test lock Chris Jack packs down at blindside flanker.

Owen, capped 41 times by Wales and a member of their 2005 Grand Slam side, said: “Playing in the Guinness Premiership is going to be a real challenge for me.

“The Magners League is a competition that is growing in stature every season, but the Premiership is a few years ahead of it in terms of history and organisation.”

Leicester, with their South African import Heyneke Meyer at the helm, head to Kingsholm on Sunday. It was at Kingsholm that they ended Gloucester’s title hopes in a pulsating play-off clash last season.

Meyer, who has replaced Marcelo Loffreda as leader of the Tigers pack, said: “The work ethic has been great, and the players have worked very hard in the off-season.

“We made improvements in each of the pre-season games, and now we will be looking to improve again.

“We have got a good squad, and I am looking forward to the first game and looking forward to trying to get the best out of the players.”

European Challenge Cup holders Bath open their Premiership campaign at neighbours Bristol, where Australian Justin Harrison makes his league debut and South African Butch James also starts after completing Tri-Nations duty with the Springboks.

Former Newcastle star Mathew Tait, meanwhile, returns to Kingston Park with his new club Sale Sharks on Sunday, when the Falcons will kick off their Premiership campaign after being installed as firm relegation favourites.

Newcastle have lost three main components of last season’s team - Tait, his England colleague Toby Flood and back-row prospect Ben Woods - and also made little impression on the summer transfer market.

But Falcons wing Tom May said: “Someone has got to be relegation favourites.

“If the bookies think that is us, then they are going to lose a lot of money, aren’t they.

“Some people might use that sort of stuff as a motivation, but personally I don’t really take any notice of it.

“These guys in the national press have a lot to say for themselves at times, but that is their job and I don’t think anyone is too bothered what is written about us.”