Will Skinner is determined to make Guinness Premiership watchers sit up and take notice that Harlequins mean serious business this season.

English rugby’s 22-game domestic marathon - complete with contentious experimental law variations - comes under starter’s orders at Twickenham tomorrow when Quins face Saracens and champions Wasps meet London Irish in the London double-header.

And Quins, having missed out on the title play-offs by one point last term, intend making an immediate statement of intent.

Skinner, who led England Saxons to Barclays Churchill Cup glory in North America earlier this summer, will captain a side likely to include New Zealander Nick Evans, Dan Carter’s former All Blacks fly-half understudy and Quins’ star pre-season signing.

Skinner said: “We want to show the rest of the Premiership that we have learned from last year, that we have that little bit more experience and we are going to use it.

“We strongly believe we are the team to beat this season, and we want to make sure the rest of the Premiership realise that.”

Standing in their way tomorrow will be a Saracens side now under the tutelage of Australia’s 2003 World Cup coach Eddie Jones, who marks his Premiership entry by making an intriguing back-row selection.

Ex-All Blacks lock Chris Jack starts where he has featured during Saracens’ August friendlies - at blindside flanker - with new arrival Steve Borthwick partnering Hugh Vyvyan in the second row.

Jones said: “Chris has been one of the best Test locks in the world, and we need to challenge him to become a better player, so why not put him at six?

“He is an instinctive player, he has got good running skills and he’s a good tackler.

“We want to make him a better player - I’ve told him that - and the challenge is to play six in the Premiership.

“It is not necessarily a permanent switch, but it is something we believe will help the composition of the team and also allow us to get the best out of him.”

Wasps, meanwhile, will be without new recruits Serge Betsen (knee) and Mark Robinson (calf strain) against Irish, although Betsen could be fit in time for Monday night’s Guinness A League game against Harlequins at Henley.

Northampton, unbeaten National League One champions last season, return to the Premiership at a sold-out Franklin’s Gardens against Worcester on Sunday.

Saints have bolstered their squad by making a dozen summer signings, including Ulster forwards Neil Best and Roger Wilson, plus the prodigiously-talented Ben Foden, who is joined in the east midlands by his fellow former Sale Sharks colleagues Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Chris Mayor.

Worcester though, are determined to spoil the homecoming, with Mike Ruddock’s men tipped in some quarters as an outside bet for Heineken Cup qualification.

Leicester, now under the guidance of South African head coach Heyneke Meyer, travel to Kingsholm on Sunday, revisiting the ground where they ended Gloucester’s title hopes less than four months ago.

But Tigers, whose fly-half points machine Andy Goode, the match-winner that May afternoon, is now playing French club rugby with Brive, will be without injured quartet Martin Corry, Lewis Moody, Louis Deacon and Martin Castrogiovanni.

Elsewhere on Sunday, locks Justin Harrison and Stuart Hooper are set for Premiership debuts in Bath colours at Bristol, and Sale signing Mathew Tait faces an early reunion with his former Newcastle colleagues at Kingston Park, a ground where the Sharks have never won.