Bath Rugby will have the chance to return to the top of the Gallagher PREM tomorrow, Friday 20th March, when they take on Saracens at The Rec (7.45pm).
Bath Rugby will entertain Saracens here at The Rec tomorrow, Friday 20th March, in Gallagher PREM Round 11 | Photo © Richard Briggs
The Blue, Black & White will take on the North Londoners in the first match of Round 11 following the league’s two-month break.
And success against Sarries will pull Johann van Graan’s second-placed side clear at the summit, as they go into the game two points adrift of current leaders Northampton Saints.
The Saints will not play in Round 11 until Saturday 21st March, when they entertain bottom club Newcastle Red Bulls at the cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens.
Ben Spencer will captain Bath from scrum-half against Mark McCall’s Saracens.
Hooker Tom Dunn will join Beno Obano and Archie Griffin in the front row, and Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels will pair up in the second row.
In the back row, Josh Bayliss and Miles Reid will offer their power on the flanks and Alfie Barbeary will complete the pack at number 8.
Finn Russell will operate at fly-half and centres Max Ojomoh and Ollie Lawrence will rekindle their partnership in midfield.
Wings Will Muir and Henry Arundell will start out wide, and full-back Tom de Glanville will complete the starting line-up.
Kepu Tuipulotu, Francois van Wyk and Thomas du Toit are named as the replacement front row.
Ted Hill will join returning internationals Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill to complete the replacement forwards.
Bernard van der Linde and Santi Carreras will be Bath’s substitute backs.
Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Archie Griffin, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Miles Reid, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Ben Spencer, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Will Muir, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Henry Arundell, 15 Tom de Glanville.
Bath replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Santi Carreras, 23 Sam Underhill.
McCall, Saracens’ director of rugby, has made seven changes from the side that played Newcastle in Round 10 on Saturday 24th January.
That includes an all-new front row, with Eroni Mawi and Marcus Street starting either side of Theo Dan.
The engine room remains unchanged, with Nick Isiekwe and Hugh Tizard continuing at lock.
Theo McFarland will line up at blindside flanker, with Juan Martin Gonzalez shifting to openside and Tom Willis rounding off the pack at number 8.
Scrum-half Ivan van Zyl will captain the side and partners fly-half Owen Farrell, who will return to playing duties after coaching the squad during the recent block of PREM Rugby Cup fixtures.
An all-international midfield combination will comprise Nick Tompkins and Lucio Cinti.
Rotimi Segun will keep his place on the left wing. Tobias Elliott will make his first PREM appearance of the season on the opposite wing after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Elliot Daly will start at full-back.
Saracens starting XV: 1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Theo Dan, 3 Marcus Street, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Theo McFarland, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 8 Tom Willis, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 10 Owen Farrell, 11 Rotimi Segun, 12 Nick Tompkins, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Tobias Elliott, 15 Elliot Daly.
Saracens replacements: 16 James Hadfield, 17 Alex O’Driscoll, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Fergus Burke, 23 Max Malins.
Meanwhile, loosehead prop Jamie Bhatti will be returning to Bath ahead of the new season – on a two-year contract.
Currently with Glasgow Warriors, the Scotland international spent time with the Blue, Black & White in 2020, making 11 appearances for the Somerset club as injury cover.
Of his impending return to The Rec, Bhatti said: “I’m incredibly honoured to be given the opportunity to join Bath Rugby.
“It’s a club with a proud history, great coaches and an amazing fan base, so to become part of that is something I’m really excited about.
“Bath has built a strong and successful environment, and I’m looking forward to contributing to that and putting my best foot forward during my time at the club.
“I can’t wait to get started, meet the supporters, and do everything I can to help the team continue moving in the right direction.”
Van Graan, Bath’s head of rugby, said: “We’re very excited for the arrival of Jamie Bhatti.
“He comes from a winning environment with Test experience and has become a very good ball carrier.
“His determination to become a better player is evident and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into our Bath family.”
