Local hero Dunn back for PREM home opener, Bath Uni win again

Local hero Tom Dunn will be back for Bath Rugby when they play their first home match of the season tonight, Friday 2nd October.

Record-breaking hooker Tom Dunn will return for Bath Rugby when they face Exeter Chiefs here at The Rec tonight, Friday 2nd October, in the Gallagher PREM | Photo © Richard Briggs

The 33-year-old, who holds the record for the number of appearances for the Blue, Black & White in the professional era, will start at hooker in the Gallagher PREM Round 2 clash with Exeter Chiefs at The Rec (7.45pm).

Joining Dunn in the front row against the Devonians – who beat Bath in last season’s play-offs – will be props Beno Obano and Will Stuart.

In the second row will be Quinn Roux at 4 and Charlie Ewels, who will captain the hosts.

Ewan Richards will start as blindside flanker, with Guy Pepper on the openside.

Dan du Preez will complete the forwards at number 8.

Forming the half-back pairing will be scrum-half Bernard van der Linde and fly-half Finn Russell.

Cameron Redpath will get his first start of the season, turning out at inside centre and partnering Ollie Lawrence who will wear 13.

Tom de Glanville and Joe Cokanasiga will remain on the wings – and Ciaran Donoghue will complete the starting XV at full-back.

On the bench will be forwards Dan Frost, Scott Kirk, Archie Griffin, Ted Hill, Miles Reid and Jaco Coetzee, the latter making his return from injury.

Tom Carr-Smith and Max Ojomoh are named as the replacement backs.

Bath starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Ewan Richards, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Dan du Preez, 9 Bernard van der Linde, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Tom de Glanville, 12 Cameron Redpath, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Ciaran Donoghue.

Bath replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Scott Kirk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Max Ojomoh, 23 Jaco Coetzee.

Whereas the Blue, Black & White overcame Harlequins 33-17 at Twickenham Stoop Stadium in Round 1, the Chiefs began their PREM campaign by losing 45-24 to Gloucester Rugby at Sandy Park.

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter admits that his men will face a massive test at The Rec.

He said: “Bath away is one of the biggest challenges in the PREM.

“Making sure we’ve got a focus on just staying in the moment, sticking to our processes, is going to be more important this week than ever. We’ve got to turn up and stay in the fight.”

Baxter has named Tommy Wyatt on the left wing for tonight’s game. The match will be Wyatt’s first in the PREM since May 2025, as he was ruled out for nearly 16 months following a second anterior cruciate ligament injury. He returned to fitness in the Chiefs’ pre-season friendlies.

Ethan Burger and Josh Iosefa-Scott will pack down at loosehead and tighthead respectively, with Jack Yeandle lining up at hooker.

Captain Dafydd Jenkins will be in the second row with Harry Wilson – and Ethan Roots, Kane James and Greg Fisilau will form the back row.

Stephen Varney will operate as scrum-half, Harvey Skinner will be fly-half and former Bath player Will Butt and Henry Slade will pair up in midfield.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be on the Chiefs’ right wing and Olly Woodburn will play at full-back.

Among the Exeter front-row replacements will be Georgia international Bachuki Tchumbadze.

Exeter starting XV: 1 Ethan Burger, 2 Jack Yeandle, 3 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 4 Harry Wilson, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 6 Ethan Roots, 7 Kane James, 8 Greg Fisilau, 9 Stephen Varney, 10 Harvey Skinner, 11 Tommy Wyatt, 12 Will Butt, 13 Henry Slade, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 15 Olly Woodburn.

Exeter replacements: 16 Louie Gulley, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 19 Oscar Beckerleg, 20 Finn Worley Brady, 21 Sam Wolstenholme, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Zack Wimbush.

The match was declared a sellout yesterday afternoon.

The University of Bath won for the second time in two British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Super Rugby matches when they swamped newcomers Brunel 68-24 in London on Wednesday 30th September.

The visitors notched 10 tries during the fixture at Ealing Trailfinders RFC.

They were 21-0 up after 27 minutes thanks to two tries from the Blue, Black & White’s Italy international Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi and one courtesy of Alex Yeabsley. James Linegar kicked all three conversions.

Brunel replied with a converted try but the guests secured the bonus point on the stroke of half-time, Harry Walker touching down and Linegar majoring.

In a try-packed start to the second period, Brunel went over twice and Bath bagged four more tries – through Rocky Prowse (2), Linegar and Jack Woods. That left the score 52-17 to the Somerset outfit with an hour gone.

Brunel scored the next try to claim a bonus point.

But the visitors went over twice more in the closing 10 minutes, through England U20 forwards Connor Treacey and Tate Williams. Linegar converted both to take his points tally for the evening to 23.

Bath, the reigning champions who opened their 2026-27 season with a 52-33 thrashing of visitors Loughborough on Wednesday 23rd September, will visit Gloucestershire’s Hartpury in Round 3 on Wednesday 7th October (6.30pm).