Bristol make 10 changes as play-off push continues

Adam Kyriacou

There’s three games on the schedule in the Premiership on Wednesday as Bristol Bears take on Leicester Tigers, Exeter Chiefs face London Irish and Worcester Warriors host Saracens.

Bristol Bears v Leicester Tigers

Sam Bedlow makes his comeback from a shoulder injury to start for the first time since the Premiership restart on Wednesday.

The centre is one of 10 changes to the side that secured a Challenge Cup final berth last weekend as Bristol return to domestic action versus Leicester Tigers.

Only Callum Sheedy and Alapati Leiua retain their places in the backline, as Niyi Adeolokun is set for his first home outing in a Bears jersey.

In the pack, Steven Luatua captains the side from the back-row, while Nathan Hughes and Kyle Sinckler are also retained from Friday’s starting line-up.

Director of rugby Pat Lam includes Semi Radradra among his replacements, while Harry Ascherl could make his first Premiership outing at Ashton Gate, having featured once in the league on the road.

Meanwhile, Thom Smith will captain Leicester Tigers in the penultimate round of the 2019/20 Premiership season.

The academy graduate will lead Tigers for the second time in just his ninth senior appearance for the club, with the support of three vice-captains, Luke Wallace, Ben White and Freddie Steward.

Smith starts at number eight alongside Wallace and Ollie Chessum in the back-row, with Cameron Henderson and Blake Enever named as the lock pairing.

Facundo Gigena, who came off the bench in the Challenge Cup semi-final in Toulon, starts at loosehead prop and is joined by Jake Kerr and Joe Heyes in the starting front-row.

White and Zack Henry, who were used off the bench in Saturday’s fixture in France, are the half-backs, with George Worth partnering Dan Kelly at centre.

Harry Simmons and Harry Potter are the starting wings, with Steward – in a leadership role for the first time in his senior career – at full-back.

Shalva Mamukashvili is in line to make his club debut after being included among the replacements alongside fellow forwards Ryan Bower, Nephi Leatigaga, Sam Lewis and Jordan Coghlan. Jack Van Poortvliet, Johnny McPhillips and David Williams are included as backs cover.

Form: Bristol Bears have won just twice in the last five rounds of Gallagher Premiership Rugby, at Worcester in round 18 and at home to Northampton in round 19. The Bears only defeat at Ashton Gate in Premiership Rugby in 2020 was to table topping Exeter on 25 August. Leicester Tigers’ three-game losing run in Gallagher Premiership Rugby ended with their 28-24 home victory over Northampton in round 20. The Tigers have not won back-to-back encounters in the tournament since October 2018. Leicester’s most recent away win in Premiership Rugby was at Newcastle in April 2019. The Tigers have lost just two of their last ten fixtures against Bristol in Premiership Rugby, in successive matches in December 2018 and April 2019. The Tigers have made three previous visits to Ashton Gate with their only victory being 21-16 in November 2016.

The teams:

Bristol Bears: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Piers O’Conor, 12 Sam Bedlow, 11 Alapati Leiua, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Steven Luatua (c), 5 Joe Joyce, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Bryan Byrne, 1 Yann Thomas
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Jake Woolmore, 19 Ed Holmes, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Harry Ascherl, 23 Semi Radradra

Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 George Worth, 11 Harry Simmons, 10 Zack Henry, 9 Ben White, 8 Thom Smith (c), 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 Blake Enever, 4 Cameron Henderson, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jake Kerr, 1 Facundo Gigena
Replacements: 16 Shalva Mamukashvili, 17 Ryan Bower, 18 Nephi Leatigaga, 19 Sam Lewis, 20 Jordan Coghlan, 21 Jack Van Poortvliet, 22 Johnny McPhillips, 23 David Williams

Venue: Ashton Gate
Kick-off: 17:30 BST
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant Referees: Tom Foley, Paul Dix
TMO: Clair Hodnett

Exeter Chiefs v London Irish

Rob Baxter insists there can be no let-up from his Exeter Chiefs side over the final two rounds of the regular Premiership season.

The Devonians have already assured themselves of home advantage in next month’s play-offs – and on Saturday they booked their place in the final of the Champions Cup with a 28-18 victory over Toulouse.

Two huge games await down the line for Baxter’s men, who must first overcome the challenges of London Irish and Wasps this week.

Virtually all of Saturday’s semi-final heroes are given Wednesday’s game off against the Exiles, so it will be up to others to take on the Exeter baton and further cement the Chiefs superiority at the top of the table.

The hosts make wholesale changes with England international Don Armand heading up a youthful looking home pack.

Behind, Stu Townsend makes his first appearance since February at scrum-half, while outside of him there is decent experience in the shape of Ollie Devoto, Tom Hendrickson and Phil Dollman, who continues to flourish in his final weeks as a Chiefs player.

For London Irish, Harry Elrington, Matt Cornish and Ollie Hoskins make up the front-row, with George Nott and Sebastian de Chaves combining in the second-row.

Matt Rogerson, who captains the side, is at blindside flanker and Ben Donnell is at openside flanker. Albert Tuisue completes the pack from the number eight berth.

Ben Meehan and Paddy Jackson are the half-back duo, with Phil Cokanasiga and Curtis Rona forming the centre partnership.

London Irish Academy graduates make up the back three, as Ollie Hassell-Collins and Ben Loader are named on the wings, with Tom Homer at full-back.

Form: Exeter Chiefs’ 17-40 reversal at Saracens in round 20 ended a seven-game winning run in Gallagher Premiership Rugby. The Chiefs have lost just twice at Sandy Park in Premiership Rugby this season, to Bristol Bears in round 4 and Sale Sharks in round 9. London Irish have lost their last nine Gallagher Premiership Rugby encounters and have only once had a longer sequence of defeats in the competition losing fourteen consecutive games in season 2017/18. The Exiles have won just three times on the road in Gallagher Premiership Rugby this season, at Wasps in round 1, Northampton Saints in round 9 and Harlequins in round 10. Exeter’s only loss in their last dozen encounters with London Irish was 26-28 at Madejski Stadium in January 2015. The Exiles’ only previous victory at Sandy Park came on their first visit in October 2010.

The teams:

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Facundo Cordero, 13 Tom Hendrickson, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stu Townsend, 8 Aaron Hinkley, 7 Don Armand (c), 6 Richard Capstick, 5 Tom Price, 4 Will Witty, 3 Marcus Street, 2 Jack Innard, 1 Billy Keast
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 James Kenny, 18 Alfie Petch, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Charlie Wright, 21 Sam Maunder, 22 Jack Walsh, 23 Corey Baldwin

London Irish: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Phil Cokanasiga, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ben Meehan, 8 Albert Tuisue, 7 Ben Donnell, 6 Matt Rogerson (c), 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 4 George Nott, 3 Ollie Hoskins, 2 Matt Cornish, 1 Harry Elrington
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Lovejoy Chawatama, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Jack Cooke, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Theo Brophy Clews, 23 James Stokes

Venue: Sandy Park
Kick-off: 17:30 BST
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant Referees: Adam Leal, Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Luke Pearce

Worcester Warriors v Saracens

Wing Perry Humphreys will return to action for the first time since the 2019/20 Premiership season resumed against Saracens at Sixways on Wednesday.

Humphreys suffered an ankle injury in an inter squad training match a week before the season resumed in August and aggravated it in training earlier this month.

But he has now regained full fitness and replaces Tom Howe, who suffered a knee injury at London Irish, as one of four changes to the starting XV.

Ollie Lawrence, who scored two tries when he came on as a replacement against Irish, starts in place of Francois Venter who has been ruled out by a hamstring problem.

Billy Searle will start at fly-half with Justin Clegg called up into the second-row in place of Graham Kitchener who is recovering from a stress fracture of the foot.

Humphreys will become the 44th player used by Warriors since the resumption and that number is likely to increase to 46 by the end of the Saracens match.

Former Bristol Bears lock Joe Batley is set to make his delayed Warriors debut as a replacement having overcome the foot injury he sustained last month.

Back-row forward Marco Mama, whose last appearance came at Leicester in late February, is also named as a replacement following his recovery from a groin injury.

Loosehead prop Callum Black will make his 99th appearance if comes off the bench.

Meanwhile, Ollie Stonham will make his Premiership debut when Saracens run out at Sixways.

The Senior Academy back-rower has one senior cap to his name after making an appearance in the Premiership Rugby Cup earlier this season and will make a full outing from openside flanker at Sixways.

Fellow Academy teammates Charlie Watson and Cameron Boon will make their maiden league starts. Centre Watson scored on his Sarries debut in September 2019 while lock Boon burrowed home during the Men in Black’s recent win over Exeter Chiefs.

Wing Ali Crossdale returns following a spell on the sidelines and is joined in the back three by 14-try man Rotimi Segun and USA international Will Hooley.

Manu Vunipola will play fly-half at a ground he earned his first Saracens start last term and will have scrum-half Tom Whiteley and inside centre Juan Pablo Socino either side of him.

The front-row that came on in the Champions Cup semi-final all come into the pack. Richard Barrington, captain Tom Woolstencroft and Alec Clarey featured in the closing stages in Paris as did Callum Hunter-Hill who takes up the six jersey.

Second-row Joel Kpoku and number eight Janco Venter complete the XV.

On the bench, Academy duo Jon Kpoku and Ethan Benson are in line for their Premiership debuts.

Form: Worcester Warriors’ victory at London Irish in round 20 ended a three-game losing run in Gallagher Premiership Rugby. The Warriors have won just once at Sixways in any competition since January: 2914 against Harlequins in round 16 of Premiership Rugby. Saracens record since the resumption of Gallagher Premiership Rugby has been won four, lost three. Saracens have won just two of their last seven away games in Premiership Rugby, at Northampton in round 12 and at London Irish in round 17. The Warriors have beaten Saracens just twice in Premiership Rugby since 2012, both at Sixways, in 2017 and 2019.

The teams:

Worcester Warriors: 15 Melani Nanai, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Noah Heward, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Cornell du Preez, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Ted Hill (c), 5 Justin Clegg, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Ethan Waller
Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Callum Black, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Joe Batley, 20 Marco Mama, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Chris Pennell

Saracens: 15 Will Hooley, 14 Rotimi Segun, 13 Charlie Watson, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Ali Crossdale, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Tom Whiteley, 8 Janco Venter, 7 Ollie Stonham, 6 Callum Hunter-Hill, 5 Cameron Boon, 4 Joel Kpoku, 3 Alec Clarey, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 1 Richard Barrington
Replacements: 16 Sam Crean, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 Josh Ibuanokpe, 19 Jon Kpoku, 20 Ethan Benson, 21 Alex Day, 22 Harry Sloan, 23 Elliott Obatoyinbo

Venue: Sixways
Kick-off: 17:30 BST
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant Referees: Greg Macdonald, TBC
TMO: Sara Cox

 

Bristol