10 Players with a Point to Prove in the Aviva Premiership This Season

Pressure on rugby players exists in a variety forms. It comes from expectation following a high-profile move between clubs, from ambition to play at international level, perhaps from a desire to prove age has yet to diminish their ability. 

Some, in particular the case of Dylan Hartley, need to show that discipline is not going to be a handicap for both club and country. 

With the Premiership's new broadcast deal, attention on players will be greater than ever before. There is also the little matter of international coaches looking to nail down their squads for the two-year countdown to the 2015 Rugby World Cup. 

Play well for your club and the rest will fall into place is an adage that rings truer than ever. We look at 10 Premiership players who have much to prove this season.

Dylan Hartley, Northampton

Saints hooker and captain Dylan Hartley has a rap sheet as long as his arm. His last indiscretion, swearing at a referee, earned him a red card and arguably cost his club the Premiership title last season. 

It certainly cost him a place on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia. 

Hartley is a spiky character, but he's also a quality player and a proven leader on the field. It is no secret that his coaches at Northampton and England have read him the riot act and made it quite clear what is at stake. 

The New Zealand-born forward needs to prove this season that he can continue to play at the coalface of rugby without the red mist descending. The stakes are high.

Chris Robshaw, Harlequins

Despite regularly finishing top of the performance charts at both club and international level, the quality of Harlequins and England skipper Chris Robshaw is constantly being questioned. 

The fact he does not appear to perfectly fit the mould of an out-and-out No. 7 has led to questions about his place in the England team and his captaincy. 

It matters not that he led Harlequins to the Premiership title in 2011/12 and the playoffs last season, nor that England twice finished runners-up in the Six Nations and thumped New Zealand by a record score. 

Robshaw likely will always divide opinion, but after being left out of the Lions squad and rested for England's tour of Argentina, the pressure is on for him to again prove that he is the right man to wear the No. 7 jersey and lead England into the World Cup.

Chris Ashton, Saracens

The biggest highlight of England's victorious tour of Argentina was the quality of their back play, in particular up-and-coming wings Marland Yarde and Christian Wade. 

England showed they had strength in depth across their back line, and England's high-profile wing Chris Ashton now needs an impressive start to his Saracens season to retain his place. 

Ashton started his England career with a bang and produced a number of impressive, try-scoring performances. He was a poacher par excellence and brought rugby league-style running lines into England's game. 

But his star has waned of late, and his England place, and perhaps even his starting spot at Saracens, is very much under the microscope. Ashton needs to rediscover his scoring touch.

George North, Northampton

Anyone who saw Wales wing George North run riot against Australia on the summer Lions tour will be wondering what his doing on this list. 

North is arguably the most effective runner in world rugby, and has produced the goods at every level he has played: for the Scarlets, for Wales and most recently for the Lions. North is a thoroughbred athlete, a once-in-a-generation player. 

And therein lies the challenge. The weight of expectation now on the broad shoulders of the 21-year-old is considerable. The Franklin's Gardens faithful will be salivating at the prospect of the giant wing running amok in the Premiership, while rivals already will be planning ways to cut him down to size. 

Big George now has to prove himself all over again.

Mike Blair, Newcastle

Former Scotland skipper and scrum-half Mike Blair looks on paper to be one of the canniest purchases of the summer. 

Newcastle head coach Dean Richards knows a thing or two about developing teams, and Blair is very much pencilled in as the Falcons' general during their first season back in the Premiership. 

Blair won 85 caps for Scotland and joins Newcastle after a season in France where he helped Brive win promotion back to the Top 14.

The Falcons will need all his experience and talents if they are to remain in England's top flight.

Toby Flood, Leicester

After an early career spent in the shadow of Jonny Wilkinson, Toby Flood has enjoyed great success with Leicester, where he has been first-choice fly-half since 2008. 

But he will need to continue to perform at the highest level with the Tigers to stand any chance of making the England squad for the autumn internationals. 

Owen Farrell is the incumbent in the England No. 10 spot, while Freddie Burns had an excellent summer with England in Argentina. If Flood does not impress with Leicester then his England days could well be numbered. 

One of Flood's biggest challenges will be to remain injury free. In a preseason friendly with Ulster last week he was knocked on conscious for the second time in three months.

Nick Easter, Harlequins

Former England international Nick Easter is one of the oldest players in the Premiership, but despite being 35 he is also one of the most effective No. 8s. 

Easter last played for England during their dismal 2012 World Cup campaign, but such has been his form in the past couple of seasons that some have suggested an international recall. 

That is not going to happen. Easter, however, needs to prove to Quins coach Conor O'Shea that he still the best No. 8 at The Stoop. The Quins academy is producing a raft of talent that will jump at any let up in form by Easter.

The garrulous Easter cannot afford for his body to let him down.

James Johnston, Saracens

Giant tight-head prop James Johnston took some flak when he decided to leave Harlequins and cross the city of London to join Saracens. 

Johnston has made no bones about his reasons and has quite simply gone to the club with the biggest cheque book.

And in this professional age, nobody should begrudge the Samoan international making hay while the sun shines. 

But now Johnston has to prove he is worth the investment.

He was the rock of Quins' Premiership-winning pack and could well be the extra element Saracens need to go all the way the season.

Nick Kennedy, Harlequins

There was a time when Nick Kennedy formed the most effective second-row partnership in the Premiership with former London Irish lock Bob Casey. 

Kennedy's lineout form was majestic and quite rightly earned him a call up to the England squad. Despite scoring on his debut, Kennedy won only seven England caps before joining French giants Toulon, with whom he won last season's Heineken Cup. 

Now the spring-heeled lock is back in the Premiership and has a point to prove. The 31-year-old feels he was jettisoned to early from the England setup and hopes his form with Quins will attract the attention of selectors once more.

Billy Vunipola, Saracens

While Johnston moved to Saracens for the money, Billy Vunipola switched from London rivals Wasps to avoid having to avoid having to come up against elder brother Mako. 

The rampaging No. 8 will be a huge loss to Wasps and a significant gain for Saracens, really had no choice as it was his mother's wishes that her sons did not tear lumps out of each other. Fair enough. 

But it was at Wasps where Billy Vunipola gained recognition that earned him two caps on England's summer tour to Argentina.

Plenty of players have struggled to produce their best after when moving clubs, and the 20-year-old needs to prove he can settle at Saracens and continue his upward trajectory.