Long-serving hooker Tom Dunn is poised to make a landmark appearance for Bath Rugby when they visit Leicester Tigers tomorrow (Saturday 18th October) in Gallagher PREM Round 4.
Milestone man Tom Dunn talks to the media at a Bath Rugby press conference this season. He is with the club’s head of rugby Johann van Graan | Photo © Bath Rugby
Bath-born Dunn, who is in his 16th season at The Rec, has been named among the replacements for the battle of last term’s Premiership finalists. If he plays, he will make his 250th appearance for his boyhood club.
Tom de Glanville will start the match at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on the wing – it will be his 100th appearance for the Blue, Black & White.
And Ewan Richards will make his 50th appearance if he comes off the bench in the East Midlands.
Hooker Dan Frost will make his first start for Bath, having debuted in the Round 2 victory over Sale Sharks. Props Beno Obano and Will Stuart will complete the front row.
Quinn Roux returns to the squad having overcome a knee injury and will be partnered by Ross Molony in the engine room.
The back row will see flankers Ethan Staddon and Sam Underhill lining up alongside number 8 Alfie Barbeary.
Captain Ben Spencer and Finn Russell will be the half-back pairing, with Cameron Redpath and Louie Hennessey selected at inside centre and outside centre respectively.
Henry Arundell will operate as the other winger, and Santi Carreras will come into the side as full-back to make his first start, and second appearance, for Bath.
Along with Dunn, the front-row replacements are Francois van Wyk and Thomas du Toit. The Blue, Black & White have announced that prop du Toit, 30, will be leaving the club at the end of the season to rejoin his former side The Sharks in his homeland South Africa. Nicknamed The Tank, Rugby World Cup winner du Toit has represented the Springboks 30 times.
Richards, who scored two tries in Bath’s 38-17 win over Gloucester Rugby on Saturday 11th October, Miles Reid and Arthur Green will be the other impact forwards for the tussle with the Tigers.
Scrum-half Tom Carr-Smith and fellow back Will Butt will complete a six-two split on the bench.
The Blue, Black & White go into the fixture with three bonus-point victories from three outings and holding top spot in the table.
Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Dan Frost, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Ethan Staddon, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Ben Spencer, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Cameron Redpath, 13 Louie Hennessey, 14 Tom de Glanville, 15 Santi Carreras.
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Ewan Richards, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Will Butt, 23 Arthur Green.
Australia fly-half James O’Connor will make his first PREM start for Leicester in tomorrow’s game.
The 35-year-old Queenslander played the final 17 minutes of the Tigers’ 32-26 defeat at Northampton Saints on Saturday 11th October.
Leicester head coach Geoff Parling said: “While Bath are obviously playing well, we’ll look to focus on what we can do and how we can keep improving our game.”
The Tigers lie seventh in the standings, with one win from three games.
Leicester starting XV: 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Cameron Henderson, 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Olly Cracknell, 9 Tom Whiteley, 10 James O’Connor, 11 Ollie Hassell Collins, 12 Joseph Woodward, 13 Solomone Kata, 14 Adam Radwan, 15 Freddie Steward.
Leicester replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Ale Loman, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Emeka Ilione, 21 Ollie Allan, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Will Wand.
Set to attend the game is former England captain Lewis Moody MBE, who played for both clubs. Last week, Moody revealed that he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Kick-off tomorrow will be at 3.05pm; gates will open at 1.30pm.
Meanwhile, Bath will again host Under-20 Six Nations action this season. On Friday 20th February (7.45pm), England will take on Ireland at The Rec in Round 3.
This is the fourth successive campaign that England Under-20s have played at The Rec. The clash with Ireland will be the sixth England Under-20s game there in that time.
Tickets are available at https://www.eticketing.co.uk/bathrugby/EDP/Event/Index/2516?position=5
Remaining tickets are now in short supply for the international match at The Rec on Saturday 8th November, when England A will face a New Zealand XV (1.15pm).
Tarquin McDonald, Bath’s chief executive, said: “We’re incredibly proud to host this clash between England A and the All Blacks XV.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for fans to witness top-tier international talent at our home ground, and a proud moment for our club to see several of our own players representing England.”
Remaining tickets are available at https://www.eticketing.co.uk/bathrugby/EDP/Event/Index/2508?position=6.
