BOOKIES are anticipating a hotly contested Guinness Premiership next season with Warriors at odds as low as 33/1 for the title.

The play-off system which means teams only have to finish in the top four to have a punt at the championship has opened the field and made bookmakers nervous.

Skybet make Worcester 10th favourites for the title ahead of Harlequins (40/1) while Leeds are rank outsiders (150/1).

But Mike Ruddock's team are rated at a 7/1 chance and second favourites to be relegated to National One.

Leeds, the team who have just returned from the second tier of domestic rugby, are given little chance by bookmakers to survive again.

When they were relegated 14 months ago, their talented but under-performing squad was broken up and they did well to bounce back at the first attempt.

The Yorkshire side are odds on to return to National One with Betfred quoting a survival price of 1/2. The same company have made them 200/1 to win the title.

Leicester were the team to beat in all competitions last season and they are once again expected to dominate.

Betfred and Skybet have both made the East Midlanders 9/4 favourites to win the Guinness Premiership ahead of Gloucester and Wasps.

Sale, the champions in 2006, slumped alarmingly at the end of last season but they are expected to make a better impression with Skybet making them joint fourth favourites (7/1).

Worcester's best chance of silverware this season is likely to be in the European Challenge Cup but they are not highly fancied in that competition either.

Ladbrokes are predicting an English triumph but it is Sale who are the hot favourites at 2/1. Newcastle are quoted at 4-1 with Worcester and Bath joint third on 5-1.

Castres would appear to be continental Europe's best ch-ance of success but they are only a 10-1 shot to win Europe's second tier competition.

It appears bookmakers are not expecting major improvements at Sixways, in spite of a number of high-profile signings during the summer.

Their scepticism might be based on the fact most of those players, including New Zea-landers Rico Gear, Greg Rawlinson and Sam Tuitupou, are unlikely to be available before late autumn.

Meanwhile, Warriors are teaming up with Gloucester Rugby and the British Army to give fans the opportunity to spend a week receiving top-level coaching.

The event is being held at the army barracks in Aldershot between August 6 and 11. To book, call 01905-459316 or visit www.rugbycamps.com