Bath Rugby are placing their faith in youth as they bid to reach the final of the PREM Rugby Cup for the second year running.
Youth dominates the Bath Rugby matchday 23 for the PREM Rugby Cup semi-final with Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road | Photo © Richard Briggs
The Blue, Black & White had named sides dominated by youngsters in this season’s competition – until they faced Gloucester Rugby in Round 10.
With qualification for the semi-finals at stake in the Saturday 28th February encounter with the Cherry & Whites, Bath’s matchday 23 for that game at The Rec included 10 players with senior international experience.
However, for the last-four tie against Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Sunday 8th March (4pm), the Somerset outfit’s matchday 23 will feature only one player with senior international experience – former British & Irish Lions and Scotland centre Chris Harris, who will wear 13. On the right wing, though, will be Austin Emens, who has played sevens for Great Britain.
Scott Kirk is selected at loosehead prop for his fourth start in Bath’s past five matches. He will be joined in the front row by Dan Frost at hooker and Kieran Verden at tighthead prop.
Jack Bennett and Ewan Richards will form the second-row partnership.
The back row will feature Ethan Staddon, George Timmins and Arthur Green.
Ieuan Davies and Will Roue will partner at scrum-half and fly-half respectively, and captain Will Butt will be alongside Harris in midfield.
Charlie Griffin will join Emens in taking the wings, and Sam Winters will start at full-back.
Kepueli Tuipulotu, Ioan Emanuel and Mikey Summerfield will provide front-row cover.
James Maloney and Alex Ridgway are named as the remaining replacement forwards.
Neil le Roux, James Linegar and Jack Harrison will complete the bench as replacement backs.
Bath starting XV: 1 Scott Kirk, 2 Dan Frost, 3 Kieran Verden, 4 Jack Bennett, 5 Ewan Richards, 6 Ethan Staddon, 7 George Timmins, 8 Arthur Green, 9 Ieuan Davies, 10 Will Roue, 11 Charlie Griffin, 12 Will Butt, 13 Chris Harris, 14 Austin Emens, 15 Sam Winters.
Bath replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Ioan Emanuel, 18 Mikey Summerfield, 19 James Maloney, 20 Alex Ridgway, 21 Neil le Roux, 22 James Linegar, 23 Jack Harrison.
The Blue, Black & White – the cup holders – finished runners-up in Pool A to set up the clash with the Tigers, the Pool B winners.
On paper at least, Leicester’s matchday 23 looks stronger than Bath’s.
Fly-half Billy Searle will return to the East Midlanders’ starting XV, having made a man-of-the-match display for England A since his last appearance for the Tigers – against Harlequins in the Gallagher PREM in January.
Searle scored the decisive penalty with the last act of the game as Leicester overcame Bath 22-20 at Welford Road in PREM Round 4 on Saturday 18th October.
Elsewhere in the hosts’ backline on 8th March, James O’Connor – who has 67 Test appearances for Australia to his name – ex-Bath man Gabriel Hamer-Wood and Tom Whiteley will return and former Blue, Black & White player Orlando Bailey will move to inside centre to partner Will Wand.
The Tigers have made two personnel changes in the forwards. Former Scotland international Will Hurd will return to start in the front row, and Tim Manz will rekindle his partnership with ex-England man Harry Wells in the second row.
The Leicester back row will see Australia sevens player Harry Palmer, Wales cap Tommy Reffell and Argentina international Joaquín Moro start as a trio for the third successive match.
Among the replacements will be experienced South African Hanro Liebenberg and former Australia player Izaia Perese.
Leicester starting XV: 1 Archie van der Flier, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Will Hurd, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Tom Manz, 6 Harry Palmer, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Joaquín Moro, 9 Tom Whiteley, 10 Billy Searle, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 12 Orlando Bailey, 13 Will Wand, 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 15 James O’Connor.
Leicester replacements: 16 Finn Theobold-Thomas, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Ale Loman, 19 Hanro Liebenberg, 20 Josh Manz, 21 Charlie Bemand, 22 Joseph Woodward, 23 Izaia Perese.
The other semi-final, also on 8th March, will be between Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints at Sandy Park (1.30pm).
Both matches will be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The final will be played on Sunday 15th March (3.30pm) at the home of the highest-seeded side to qualify.
Leicester are the top seeds, with Exeter second, Northampton third and Bath fourth.
Bath skipper and scrum-half Ben Spencer will be in the England starting XV for their Guinness Six Nations match against Italy at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, tomorrow, Saturday 7th March.
Spencer’s clubmate Guy Pepper will start in the back row. And Bath back row Sam Underhill will be on the bench.
Blue, Black & White fly-half Finn Russell will be in the Scotland starting XV for their Six Nations game against France at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, tomorrow. He will be one of two Scotland vice-captains.
Bath back row Josh Bayliss has been named among the Scots’ replacements.
The Wales squad for their Six Nations clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, tonight, Friday 6th March, will feature two Bath players.
Prop Archie Griffin and centre Louie Hennessey will both be on the bench.
Bath number 8 Connor Treacey will again captain England U20 when they face their Italy counterparts tonight at Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso, in the U20 Six Nations.
Blue, Black & White wing Tyler Offiah is also in the England U20 starting XV.
