Phil Davies starts life as a Premiership coach on Saturday and the former Welsh international admits: "This is a massive step up."

Davies will send his Leeds side out against six-times English champions Bath at Headingley for one of the toughest possible top-flight baptisms.

But despite most bookmakers' short odds on Leeds to finish bottom of the pile this term, Davies is quietly optimistic after leaving no stone unturned during his pre-season preparations.

That forward planning included a fact-finding mission to Australia, where he spent time with Super 12 champions ACT Brumbies, while also tapping the astute rugby brain of their former coach and current Wallabies supremo Eddie Jones.

"It was a real eye-opener," said Davies, who carved his reputation in the game as a granite-hard forward for Llanelli and Wales, winning 46 caps between 1985 and 1995.

"The trip gave me one or two ideas that I have tried to put in place here for this season. The Australians take professionalism on to a new level, and it was good to see how the Brumbies actually prepare for games."

Davies is also realistic about the enormous task facing Leeds during their debut Premiership campaign.

"We were under no illusions when we won the National Division One championship last season that it would be a massive step up to the Premiership," he added.

"But the players have accepted the challenge and responded in terrific spirit.

"Sunday will be a special day in the club's history, but we now need to concentrate on the job in hand and produce the quality of rugby we have been aiming for."

Leeds exhibit an array of new signings tomorrow, including Scottish international centre Jamie Mayer, former Sale and England A lock Chris Murphy, plus big-tackling back-row forward Isaac Fea'unati.

But their bid to recruit South African prop Cobus Visagie has failed, and the December arrival of his fellow Springbok Braam van Straaten will not come soon enough if Leeds make a poor start.

At least they will not be facing a full-strength Bath side - Lions Iain Balshaw and Mike Catt do not feature - yet the West Country club, at least on paper, look far too strong.

League champions Leicester, bidding for a fourth successive title triumph, introduce southern hemisphere imports Josh Kronfeld and Rod Kafer against Newcastle at Kingston Park, but rest Lions quintet Martin Johnson, Neil Back, Austin Healey, Martin Corry and Dorian West.

The Falcons field Lions fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, and Pat Lam captains them on his return to Tyneside from Northampton.

A new-look Bristol side contains summer recruits Jason Little, Julian White, Shane Drahm, Matt Carrington, Andrew Higgins and Phil Christophers for the home game against Sale, who parade recent signings Kevin Yates, Iain Fullerton and Stu Pinkerton among a 22-man squad.

And there will also be two significant overseas rivals on show at Loftus Road tomorrow when Wasps, complete with former New Zealand All Blacks prop Craig Dowd, host Abdel Benazzi's Saracens.