New recruits & Glasgow title chances - your questions answered

With the new URC season getting under way on Friday, BBC Sport Scotland's Andy Burke has been answering your questions.

Laura asked: Sports4cast have Glasgow as a 9% chance of retaining the URC this year. How do you rate their chances?

Andy answered: On the face of it, 9% looks a bit thin for the defending champions, but that’s probably more to do with the plethora of teams who look capable of going all the way this season.

Leinster have added a big dollop of stardust in the shape of RG Snyman and Jordie Barrett to their already glittering array of talent. The pressure on them to deliver silverware this season is immense, and you would think they will do so sooner rather than later.

The Bulls will be wondering how they let the title slip from their grasp – or rather, how Glasgow ripped it from their grasp – in that unforgettable final in Pretoria in June. They will come again.

The Stormers look formidable and then you have a Munster side who have shown what they can do when they get on a roll.

It's going to be a ferocious battle for those play-off places and for the big prize itself among a host of quality teams, but Glasgow have as good a chance as any of them.

Scott asked: What signings are you monitoring most closely that Edinburgh and Glasgow have made?

Andy answered: There's more on this to come on this page this week, but it will be fascinating to see what impact Mosese Tuipulotu has on the Edinburgh backline.

The back three of Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe and Emilano Boffelli – provided they are all fit - is as good as anything out there, but there have been times when the midfield has struggled to lay the platform to get them into the game.

Comparisons with his brother Sione are inevitable, but from what little we've seen and heard about Mosese so far, he is in a similar mould and could be the perfect catalyst to get Edinburgh's potent back division firing.

For Glasgow it would obviously be great to see Adam Hastings first and foremost getting a spell of uninterrupted rugby under his belt after a hellish few years with injury.

If he can find his best form he will be a huge influence this season with the running threat, intelligent kicking and general authority he brings to the 10 shirt, though don't be shocked if we see him slot in at full-back now and again.

Rory Sutherland is another who could make a big impact if he can find the sort of form that made him a Test Lion just a few years ago.