150 up for Bath’s Semesa Rokoduguni

Colin Newboult

Bath's Semesa Rokoduguni scores their third try during the Gallagher Premiership match at the Madejski Stadium, Reading.

Round Nine’s Premiership action continues and there are four games scheduled for Saturday and one on Sunday, with Exeter Chiefs hosting Sale Sharks in the marquee match at Sandy Park.

Saturday

Bath v Leicester Tigers

Electric winger Semesa Rokoduguni will turn out in the Blue, Black and White for his 150th appearance against Leicester Tigers this Saturday.

Rhys Priestland will lead out the side at the Rec as they return to Premiership action.

Director of rugby Stuart Hooper has made 11 changes to the side that faced Ulster in Belfast last week, with Tom Homer, Beno Obano and Jack Walker the only three starting in consecutive matches.

Jackson Willison moves to inside centre, lining up alongside Max Wright, while Chris Cook returns at scrum-half for Ollie Fox.

Taulupe Faletau is back at number eight and is looking to build on his stunning return to fitness before he heads into the Wales camp.

With six players also away on England duty, Mike Williams and Josh Bayliss start at flanker while Elliott Stooke, Josh McNally and Christian Judge make up the rest of the pack alongside Obano and Walker.

Internationals Tomás Lavanini, Telusa Veainu and Jonah Holmes return to the Leicester Tigers starting line-up for Saturday’s Round 9 fixture.

After securing a place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals since the last league game, against Bristol at the start of January, Tigers travel to the Rec with Lavanini resuming at lock in a pack which also includes Dan Cole and Jordan Taufua, who started among the replacements in Pau last weekend.

Harry Wells makes a 50th Premiership appearance as he joins Taufua and Sione Kalamafoni in the back-row.

Veainu and Holmes are joined by Jordan Olowofela in the back three, with Jaco Taute and Kyle Eastmond reunited at centre after sitting out last weekend.

Calum Green has had an operation on a fractured cheekbone and joins fellow forwards Hanro Liebenberg and Guy Thompson on the injury list. Tigers are also without five players – Ellis Genge, George Ford, Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi and Ben Youngs – who are with the England squad preparing for the start of the Six Nations.

Form: Bath have won just twice in their last ten first team matches, both in Premiership Rugby in December, at London Irish and at home to Sale. Bath have lost only one of their last seven home games in Premiership Rugby: 12-25 to Saracens on 29 November. Leicester Tigers were victorious in their most recent Premiership Rugby fixture, 31-18 at home to Bristol, but have not won successive matches in the competition since October 2018. Tigers have won only once away from home since then: 27-22 at Newcastle in April. Leicester have already been victorious at the Recreation Ground this season having beaten their hosts there 18-7 in the Premiership Rugby Cup in October. Bath have lost only one of their last five Premiership Rugby fixtures against Tigers: 19-34 in ‘The Clash’ at Twickenham in April 2018.

The teams:

Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Max Wright, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 10 Rhys Priestland (c), 9 Chris Cook, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Josh Bayliss, 6 Mike Williams, 5 Elliott Stooke, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Christian Judge, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Beno Obano
Replacements: 16 Tom Doughty, 17 Lewis Boyce, 18 Sam Nixon, 19 Matt Garvey, 20 Tom Ellis, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Freddie Burns, 23 Josh Matavesi

Leicester Tigers: 15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Jonah Holmes, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Jordan Olowofela, 10 Tom Hardwick, 9 Ben White, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Jordan Taufua, 6 Harry Wells, 5 Will Spencer, 4 Tomás Lavanini, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 1 Facundo Gigena
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Greg Bateman, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Ifereimi Boladau, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Harry Simmons, 22 Noel Reid, 23 George Worth

Venue: Recreation Ground
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley, Paul Dix
TMO: David Grashoff

Bristol Bears v Gloucester

John Afoa is passed fit to face his former side when Bristol Bears host Gloucester on Saturday.

The tighthead prop – who has been sidelined for two weeks – starts in the West Country derby at Ashton Gate.

Former Gloucester man Henry Purdy is set for his Premiership debut for the Bears on the wing, while Dan Thomas, Harry Randall and Dave Attwood also start against the Cherry and Whites.

Lam is boosted by the return of Chris Vui (illness) and Piers O’Conor (knee) to the starting line-up with nearly 20,000 supporters expected for the Round Nine clash.

Meanwhile, Lewis Ludlow will skipper Gloucester on Saturday, leading a team that features seven changes from the side that started at Toulouse last Sunday.

Six players who have been away on Six Nations training camps – Callum Braley, Alex Craig, Chris Harris, Jake Polledri, Owen Williams and Louis Rees-Zammit – have returned and have been included in the matchday 23, but Willi Heinz and Ollie Thorley are away with England.

Returning to the backline are Tom Marshall, Williams and Joe Simpson who were all replacements in France. Williams makes his first start since Castres just over a year ago. Harris will wear the number 13 shirt after missing the Toulouse game.

In the pack, Franco Marais returns at hooker, Fraser Balmain at tighthead prop and Ben Morgan at number eight.

Form: Bristol Bears are without a win in the last four rounds of Premiership Rugby, since beating Exeter at Sandy Park on 10 November. The Bears’ only defeat in their last eleven matches at Ashton Gate in all tournaments was 21-26 to Wasps in Round 7 of Premiership Rugby. Gloucester have won just twice in the last six rounds of Premiership Rugby although both of those have been at Kingsholm in the last three matches. Gloucester have won only once away from home in any tournament since April: 18-16 at Sale Sharks in the opening round of this season’s Premiership Rugby. Bristol have won their last three fixtures against Gloucester, but two of those were in the Premiership Rugby Cup. The Bears’ 28-24 victory at Ashton Gate in round 15 last season was their first win against Gloucester in the tournament since February 2008.

The teams:

Bristol Bears: 15 Luke Morahan, 14 Henry Purdy, 13 Piers O’Conor, 12 Sam Bedlow, 11 Alapati Leiua, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 5 Chris Vui, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 John Afoa, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Jake Woolmore
Replacements: 16 Shaun Malton, 17 Ollie Dawe, 18 Lewis Thiede, 19 Ed Holmes, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Mat Protheroe

Gloucester: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Louis Rees-Zammit, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Joe Simpson, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Lewis Ludlow (c), 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Alex Craig, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin
Replacements: 16 Todd Gleave, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Freddie Clarke, 20 Jake Polledri, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Billy Twelvetrees, 23 Matt Banahan

Venue: Ashton Gate
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Adam Leal, Neil Chivers
Television match official: Claire Hodnett

Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks

With Six Nations call-ups ruling out Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ollie Devoto, Stuart Hogg and Harry Williams from Exeter’s selection mix, Rob Baxter has been forced to make significant changes in personnel for this game against Sale.

Up front, there is a new-look international front-row comprising of Ben Moon, Elvis Taione and Enrique Pieretto, while in the back division Stu Townsend comes in for his first Premiership start of the season alongside Gareth Steenson at half-back.

Other changes see Sam Hill take over in the centre from the absent Devoto, whilst Tom O’Flaherty replaces the injured Jack Nowell on the right wing, and Phil Dollman gets the nod at full-back in place of Hogg.

On the bench, highly-rated youngsters Jordon Poole and Harvey Skinner get their first-ever call-ups into a Premiership squad, while Scottish international Sam Skinner is also added having come through a successful 40-minute run-out for the Exeter Braves on Monday night following a lengthy hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Simon Hammersley returns to Sale’s starting line-up as Steve Diamond names his squad for the trip to Sandy Park.

Diamond has picked an experienced side after giving an opportunity to some of the club’s academy prospects in the final round of the Champions Cup pool stages, as the Sharks look to prove their top four credentials.

Ross Harrison, Rob Webber and Jake Cooper-Woolley make up and all English front-row for the trip to Devon, with Bryn Evans and Jean-Luc du Preez combining in the second-row.

Jono Ross captains the side from his usual position at blindside flanker, alongside Ben Curry at openside and Daniel du Preez providing the power at number eight.

Will Cliff retains the number nine shirt after showing impressive form in his past few outings, and teams up with Rob du Preez, who will control the backs from fly-half.

The Springbok will have fellow compatriot Rohan Janse van Rensburg outside him at inside centre with Sam James completing a trusted combination in the midfield.

Byron McGuigan returns from Scotland’s Six Nations training camp to take his place on the wing alongside Chris Ashton.

Form: Exeter Chiefs’ most recent defeat in any tournament was at home to Bristol in Premiership Rugby in November, although they did draw 31-all at Glasgow in Round 5 of the European Champions Cup. The Chiefs have lost only twice at Sandy Park in any tournament since December 2018. Sale Sharks’ last six matches in Premiership Rugby have all been won by the home side on the day. The Sharks have not won away from home in any competition since beating London Irish 41-7 at Madejski Stadium in Round 2 of Premiership Rugby. The Chiefs have won their last eight fixtures with the Sharks in all competitions since Sale’s 23-17 victory at Salford in Premiership Rugby in February 2016, whilst the northerner’s only previous win at Sandy Park was 55-12 in April 2014.

The teams:

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Stuart Townsend, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Dave Dennis (c), 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Elvis Taione, 1 Ben Moon
Replacements: 16 Jordon Poole, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Matt Kvesic, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Tom Hendrickson

Sale Sharks: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Sam James, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Jono Ross (c), 5 Jean-Luc du Preez, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Ross Harrison
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 WillGriff John, 19 James Phillips, 20 Matt Postlethwaite, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Luke James, 23 Marland Yarde

Venue: Sandy Park
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant referees: Mike Hudson, Rob Warburton
TMO: Geoff Warren

Worcester Warriors v Wasps

Worcester Warriors club captain GJ van Velze is set to make his 100th appearance against Wasps in Saturday’s Premiership match at Sixways.

Number eight Van Velze joined the Warriors from Northampton Saints in the summer of 2014 and helped the club win the Championship and an immediate return to the top flight in his first season.

Van Velze missed almost all of the 2016/17 season because of a serious concussion injury but he made a successful return to action and is expected to come off the bench to make his 100th appearance against Wasps.

Van Velze will become only the 25th Warriors player to reach the 100 appearance landmark but the third in as many months following centre Ryan Mills and loosehead prop Ryan Bower who joined at the same time.

Cornell du Preez, who trained with Scotland’s Six Nations squad earlier in the week, will start at number eight with Marco Mama switching from openside to blindside flanker to replace Ted Hill who is on England’s Six Nations training camp in Portugal.

Sam Lewis returns at openside having recovered from a facial injury sustained at Saracens three weeks ago and fit-again Tom Howe comes in to the starting XV.

Centre Ollie Lawrence, who impressed in the Challenge Cup matches against Enisei-STM and Castres, will make his first ever Premiership start alongside Ashley Beck.

Former Scotland U20s back-row forward Tom Dodd, who signed his first senior contract earlier this week, is in line to make his Premiership debut off the bench.

Meanwhile, Jack Willis will make his 50th appearance for Wasps on Saturday.

The flanker is one of six changes to the starting line-up as he links up with Nizaam Carr and co-captain Thomas Young in the back-row – the latter who returns after illness.

James Gaskell has also recovered from a shoulder injury to start in the second-row for the first time since November alongside recent Wales call-up Will Rowlands. Joe Launchbury is unavailable due to England duty.

In the front-row, tighthead prop Kieran Brookes has overcome illness to join Simon McIntyre and Tommy Taylor.

Dan Robson co-captains the side from scrum-half while Billy Searle starts at fly-half in the absence of Jacob Umaga on England duty and Lima Sopoaga who has a calf knock.

Jimmy Gopperth is joined by Juan de Jongh in the centres after the Springbok has shaken off an ankle injury to make his first Premiership start since November, while Malakai Fekitoa misses out with a knee injury.

Josh Bassett makes his first Premiership start since October in a back three that includes Zach Kibirige and Italy international Matteo Minozzi, with Marcus Watson absent with an Achilles strain.

In the replacements, Ben Harris returns after a shoulder injury while Biyi Alo could be in line for his first Premiership appearance of the season for the club, with Jeff Toomaga-Allen missing out through concussion.

Sam Wolstenholme is also recalled to the replacements as Wasps look to continue their recent attacking threat in the league which has seen them pick up try-bonus points in each of the last two outings.

Form: Worcester Warriors’ last four matches in Premiership Rugby have all been won by the home side on the day. The Warriors have lost three times at Sixways this season, twice to Exeter, in the Premiership Rugby Cup and Premiership Rugby and once to Castres in the European Challenge Cup. Amazingly Wasps last six first team matches have all been won by the away side on the day. Wasps have won their last two away games, at Bristol and at Agen, but have not won three in succession on their travels since September 2018. Wasps have won their last ten fixtures against the Warriors in Premiership Rugby since Worcester’s 29-23 victory at Sixways in March 2013.

The teams:

Worcester Warriors: 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Tom Howe, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Michael Heaney, 8 Cornell du Preez, 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Marco Mama, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Matt Moulds (c), 1 Ethan Waller
Replacements: 16 Joe Taufete’e, 17 Ryan Bower, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 GJ van Velze, 20 Tom Dodd, 21 Jono Kitto, 22 Jono Lance, 23 Francois Venter

Wasps: 15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Dan Robson (cc), 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Thomas Young (cc), 6 Jack Willis, 5 James Gaskell, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Simon McIntyre
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Biyi Alo, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Sione Vailanu, 21 Sam Wolstenholme, 22 Michael Le Bourgeois, 23 Rob Miller

Venue: Sixways
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales, Simon McConnell
TMO: Sean Davey

Sunday

Harlequins v Saracens

Harlequins’ side for this Premiership derby sees club captain Chris Robshaw return to the squad at flanker alongside the in-form James Chisholm, who captained the team last weekend against Clermont Auvergne.

Locks Matt Symons and Stephan Lewies will re-form their partnership in the tight five which will also feature Elia Elia returning at hooker while centre Paul Lasike is also back from injury.

Meanwhile, Alex Lewington will join the Premiership 100 club when he runs out for Saracens in this fixture.

The wing, who made his league debut back in the 2013/14 season, is set for his 100th outing in the competition having scored 36 tries in 99.

His flank partner Rotimi Segun has shown his finishing touch this term with eight scores in total while Matt Gallagher, a try scorer on the opening day of the season, returns to complete the back three.

After impressive as a duo in the Champions Cup victory at Ospreys, Richard Wigglesworth and Manu Vunipola link up once again in the half-back slots and outside them, Alex Lozowski is back at 13.

The pack has six fresh faces with only Vincent Koch and Jackson Wray part of the eight which began the win over Racing 92 last time out.

Nick Isiekwe is back at six for Mark McCall’s men and is joined in the back-row by Calum Clark with Richard Barrington and Jack Singleton reinstated at loosehead and hooker respectively.

Academy loanee Callum Hunter-Hill features for the first time since November and pairs up with academy lock Joel Kpoku.

On the bench, Dom Morris is back following long-term injury and Elliott Obatoyinbo could make his Premiership debut.

Form: Harlequins have won just twice in the last six rounds of Premiership Rugby, although they did draw 30-all with Leicester in the ‘Big Game’ at Twickenham on 28 December. Quins’ most recent victory at Twickenham Stoop was 23-19 against Gloucester on 1 December. Saracens’ only loss in their last six first team matches was 7-14 at Exeter in Round 7 of Premiership Rugby. Sarries’ only other defeat away from home this season was 3-10 at Munster in Round 3 of the European Champions Cup. Saracens have won their last three matches against Harlequins in Premiership Rugby since Quins’ victory by a single point at Twickenham Stoop in December 2017.

The teams:

Harlequins: 15 Aaron Morris, 14 Ross Chisholm, 13 Cadan Murley, 12 Paul Lasike, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 James Chisholm, 5 Matt Symons, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Will Collier, 2 Elia Elia, 1 Santiago Garcia Botta
Replacements: 16 Jack Musk, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Semi Kunatani, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Brett Herron, 23 Tom Penny

Saracens: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Calum Clark, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Joel Kpoku, 4 Callum Hunter-Hill, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jack Singleton, 1 Richard Barrington
Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Titi Lamositele, 18 Josh Ibuanokpe, 19 Andy Christie, 20 Sean Reffell, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Dom Morris, 23 Elliott Obatoyinbo

Venue: Twickenham Stoop
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Matthew Carley, Roy Mabon
TMO: Graham Hughes

 

Bath