Ireland Reigning champions
Connacht started the season with a new coaching team. Backs and kicking coach Andre Bell left his role to return to his family in New Zealand. Head performance analyst and assistant attack coach
Conor McPhillips took over coaching of the backs, while the team's former head coach
Eric Elwood took over as kicking coach. The close season also saw the departure of the side's all-time record try-scorer
Fionn Carr, who scored 42 tries over two spells with the province. Connacht's homeground,
The Sportsground underwent renovations during the summer, with the addition of a seated stand increasing its capacity to 8,100. Beaten finalists
Leinster also saw changes to their backroom staff, with defence coach
Kurt McQuilkin leaving the role for personal reasons in August 2016. Former head coach
Stuart Lancaster joined the province in the role of "senior coach" the following month as McQuilkin's replacement. Leinster also hired World Cup winning former head coach
Graham Henry as a consultant coach during the off-season. After taking over the captaincy when
Kevin McLaughlin was forced to retire,
Isa Nacewa was appointed as team captain on a permanent basis ahead of the season opener. After finishing sixth in the previous season,
Munster replaced much of their coaching staff.
Johan "Rassie" Erasmus joined as Director of Rugby from his role as high performance manager with , while Jacques Nienaber is the new defence coach. Head coach
Anthony Foley remained part of the coaching team, with a focus on lineouts and the breakdown.
Jerry Flannery was also retained in his role as scrum coach, while
Felix Jones, who was forced to retire due to injury the previous season, joined the backroom team as a technical coach with a focus on attack. After
CJ Stander deputised as captain for the previous season, Munster announced ahead of the season that
Peter O'Mahony would reassume the role when he returned from injury. On 16 October 2016, Anthony Foley died suddenly in the Munster team hotel in
Paris while on an away trip to play
Racing 92 in the
European Champions Cup.
Ulster announced in August 2016 that
Rory Best would vacate the captaincy of the province. The captain was replaced in his role by
Andrew Trimble, the team's record try-scorer, and
Rob Herring, who took on the role in Best's absence the previous season.
Italy After sacking head coach Umberto Casellato during the course of the previous season,
Benetton Treviso hired former head coach
Kieran Crowley as his replacement. Marius Goosen, who served as coach following Casellato's dismissal, stayed with the side as Director of Rugby, the role he held before replacing Casellato. After finishing ahead of Treviso in the previous season,
Zebre played in top level European competition for the first time since the tournament format was changed at the end of the 2013–14 season. Zebre had the highest amount of changes to their squad in the competition with a total of 29 players either joining or departing the first team.
Scotland After discussions of a possible move from
Murrayfield to
Easter Road in 2015 did not come to fruition, it was announced in May 2016 that
Edinburgh had agreed a partnership with
George Watson's College and would play their home fixtures at the school's 6,000 capacity Myreside venue in the second half of the season. It was also announced that the team would have the option of returning to Murrayfield for larger games. Edinburgh had previously used the ground as a home in its early years as a professional side and had played a home match there as recently as the
2015 Six Nations Championship. The off-season saw the loss of team captain
Mike Coman, who left to join
London Irish. With his departure,
Grant Gilchrist and
Stuart McInally took on the role in a joint capacity. On 28 September 2016, just four games into the season,
Alan Solomons resigned as the team's head coach. The departure saw assistant coach Duncan Hodge promoted to acting head coach. It was announced in October 2016 that this would be
Gregor Townsend's last year in charge of
Glasgow Warriors as he would depart at the end of the season to take up the role of head coach. After serving as the team's sole captain in 2015–16,
Jonny Gray shared the role with
Henry Pyrgos for the season. Following issues with the playing surface at the team's home stadium,
Scotstoun, an artificial playing surface was installed at the ground.
Wales This was the Welsh Regions' first full domestic season under a revised arrangement with the
WRU.
Cardiff Blues head coach
Danny Wilson made seven signings for next season with
Kirby Myhill,
George Earle and
Steven Shingler joining from the
Scarlets,
Rhys Gill from
Saracens,
Nick Williams from
Ulster,
Matthew Morgan from
Bristol and
Willis Halaholo from the
Hurricanes.
Newport Gwent Dragons parted company with director of rugby
Lyn Jones and began the season with his long-time assistant
Kingsley Jones promoted to head coach. Wales international
Taulupe Faletau left the Dragons for
Bath Rugby in the off-season. The season ended with
Newport shareholders voting to pass ownership of the Dragons and the
Rodney Parade ground to the
WRU. The
Ospreys added
Bradley Davies,
Hugh Gustafson and former
Scarlets forwards
Rhodri Jones and
Rob McCusker to their playing staff. Meanwhile
Brad Davis joined the coaching group under
Steve Tandy.
Scarlets entered their third season under head coach
Wayne Pivac. The off-season saw the return of former player
Jonathan Davies following a spell at
Clermont Auvergne. Other new signings included
Rhys Patchell,
Werner Kruger and
Jonathan Evans, while New Zealander
Johnny McNicholl arrived later in the season. ==Table==