While the rest of the Premiership invests in big name signings it has been another summer of evolution rather than revolution at Harlequins, writes John Payne.

Just two new signings have arrived ahead of Saturday’s opening day 20-15 win over London Irish in the London Double Header at Twickenham– with Marland Yarde debuting against his former club and Asaeli Tikoirotuma from Waikato Chiefs.

Even though they were crowned Premiership champions just two years ago, that shortage of big-name arrivals has seen most pundits tip them as borderline top-four rather than potential top dogs this time around.

It’s not hard to see Quins director of rugby Conor O’Shea as rugby’s answer to Arsene Wenger.

Yet you can hardly blame the Stoop bosses for feeling they don’t need to splash the cash when Quins’ conveyor belt of home-grown talent shows no sign of slowing.

The newcomers in the squad that haven’t made the season previews are the latest seven graduates from the Harlequins academy to take the step up and they are following in some mightily impressive footsteps.

It isn’t just the club that have reaped the benefits – with young prop Kyle Sinckler looking like the next in line to follow Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown and Joe Marler into the England line-up.

So while Bath are gambling on whether Sam Burgess can make the transition to rugby union from league, Gloucester have gone for a total change of direction on and off the pitch and London Welsh have made a staggering 25 summer signings, it’s as you were at Harlequins.

Except, of course, for giving Marler the club captaincy so Robshaw can concentrate on leading England into the World Cup, a decision which surely makes perfect sense to everyone.

As a result, you would hope Quins will hit the ground running – instead of playing catch-up as they did last year.

If they can make a flying start this time, the current odds of around 10/1 on Quins to be Premiership champions will start to look like tremendous value.