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From best player to dressing-room DJs, Premiership stars reveal all

(From L to R) England internationalists Toby Flood, Danny Care and Jack Nowell will all be in action during the 2018-19 Premiership season. ESPN/Getty

Ahead of the start of the new Premiership season, ESPN asked several of the league's stars to lift the lid on their teammates and rivals.

From naming the best player in the league to the biggest social media addict, Exeter's Jack Nowell, Northampton's Tom Wood, Bristol's George Smith, Gloucester's Jaco Kriel, Harlequins' Danny Care, Newcastle's Toby Flood and Wasps' Christian Wade reveal all:

Without naming a club teammate, who is the best player in the Premiership is this season?

Nowell: The best opposition player is probably down to people you don't like playing against, so Manu Tuilagi.

Flood: In terms of everything he has achieved, George Smith.

Wood: Charles Piutau.

George Smith: I'm excited to play against Jaco Kriel.

Kriel: George Smith.

Care: Faz [Owen Farrell].

Wade: Telusa Veainu, he's in my dream back-three.

What is your favourite away ground?

Smith: I'm looking forward to going to Harlequins again, I enjoy playing at the Stoop.

Care: Kingsholm, I like playing at Gloucester.

Nowell: Bristol now they're back up because they're only an hour up the road.

Wade: It all depends on the pitch really... if the pitch is too soft you sink in and lose power and speed but if it's too firm you'll hurt the next day. I'll go for Leicester's Welford Road because their pitch is good now.

Flood: Wellford Road, I've got lots of memories there.

Which team will be the surprise package in the Premiership this season?

Nowell: I think Newcastle will surprise people again, and Bristol because they've got some quality players this year.

Flood: It will be really interesting to see how Bristol do.

Wood: Everyone knows about Bristol so I'd perhaps go for Harlequins because they're more of an unknown quantity with Paul Gustard at the helm. They haven't done that well in recent years but could have a surge.

Smith: Sale.

Kriel: Harlequins.

Who's got the best banter at your club?

Wade: We've got a lot of boys with good banter actually. England winger Elliot Daly is quite funny.

Wood: I'd begrudgingly have to say James Haskell. I get on well with him and I've worked with him at England so I know him and knew what to expect. Obviously on the field he's got all the credentials and credibility in the world -- he's been there and done it. Off the field it's more his personality and his character that keeps morale high and keeps people engaged. We needed a bit of that after last season and I'm glad we've got him in.

Smith: Joe Latta.

Care: Dave Ward.

Nowell: Tom O'Flaherty.

Who in the squad has the best social media game?

Kriel: Danny Cipriani.

Wade: Haskell has left now so it's up for grabs. I think it could be Juan De Jongh because he's got a big following being from South Africa and he's on social media a lot.

Smith: I don't have social media but John Afoa is on his phone all the time so probably him.

Care: Can it be yourself? No? Tim Visser, then. He's the best player to follow, very weird posts.

Wood: England under-20s prop Ehren Painter. Funny hashtags, big attitude, big rig.

Who is in charge of the music in the changing room?

A post shared by James Haskell (@jameshask) on

Wood: Unfortunately, it has to be Haskell again. He's a self-proclaimed DJ. It's not to my taste necessarily but he does take the reins a little bit, even though he's just arrived.

Care: George Merrick.

Kriel: Paddy McAllister.

Wade: I am! I'm in charge of the aux cable, that's for sure.