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The English summer is not yet over but the rugby is here. Starting two weeks after the French Top 14 is the Aviva Premiership. England’s domestic championship will see the country’s leading 12 clubs battle it out home and away.
Americas players will be involved in the Aviva Premiership throughout the season. It will all start today in round 1 with Gloucester hosting the Leicester Tigers. Two Pumas missing from the Rugby Championship will feature. For Gloucester Mariano Galarza will start in the second-row while Marcos Ayerza will play loosehead prop for Leicester.
Friday’s other fixture will see the two northern most premiership teams battling it out. The Newcastle Falcons will host the Sale Sharks in a match in which Argentina, Canada and the USA will all be represented. Rugby World Cup 2015 players Juan Pablo Socino and Evan Olmstead will start for the home side at inside center and flanker respectively. USA Eagles goal kicker AJ MacGinty will play fly half for Sale. Both Olmstead and MacGinty will be making their Premiership debuts.
Regardless of the result the traditional London Double Header will receive the headlines on Saturday. This year’s version of the Twickenham party will see just two London clubs. With Wasps now in the Midlands and both London Irish and London Welsh in the second division the landscape is vastly altered.
In the opening match Saracens will host the Worcester Warriors. The London-based Saracens will have Marcelo Bosch playing outside center. Also involved will be Juan Figallo as a replacement prop.
The second part will see the Harlequins vs Bristol. Starting for the London club will be Marland Yarde. The English winger is actually from the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia. On the opposing side Gastón Cortes will start at tighthead prop. Cortes earned four caps for Los Pumas in 2011 and 2012.
The Northampton Saints will have home advantage against Bath in Saturday’s final fixture. Not involved will be new signing Juan Pablo Estelles who recently joined Northampton from Los Pumas 7’s. The Olympian will have to wait to make his Aviva Premiership debut.
