Premiership: Tom Dunn captains Bath for first time while Jacob Umaga returns for Wasps

David Skippers

Bath Rugby's Tom Dunn tackled by Exeter Chiefs' Jack Yeandle (left) and Exeter Chiefs' Jack Nowell (right) during the Gallagher Premiership match at The Recreation Ground, Bath. Picture date: Friday November 26, 2021. See PA story RUGBYU Bath. Photo credit should read: David Davies/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

England hooker Tom Dunn will captain Bath for the first time in their Premiership clash against Wasps at the Rec.

The front-rower has been an ever-present so far this season and lines up alongside props Lewis Boyce and Will Stuart – the latter will be making his 50th outing in Blue, Black and White.

Second-rows Dave Attwood and Josh McNally pair up for the third game running while Richard de Carpentier earns a first start of the season from number eight, replacing Jaco Coetzee who will be out of action for 10 weeks due to an ankle injury picked up against Sale Sharks.

Miles Reid comes in for his maiden appearance of 2022/23 and Chris Cloete, returning from a minor injury sustained in Round 1, completes the back-row.

At scrum-half, Louis Schreuder makes his full Bath debut with Ben Spencer sidelined with concussion. Homegrown duo Orlando Bailey and Max Ojomoh are outside him at fly-half and inside centre respectively.

Try scorers last time out Joe Cokanasiga and Tom de Glanville continue in the back three with Will Muir. Jonathan Joseph continues at 13.

On the bench, Quinn Roux is in line for his Bath Rugby debut while Max Green could make his first appearance of the season.

Jacob Umaga returns for Wasps

Meanwhile, much of the minds of the Midlanders have been focused on their off-field struggles but they get back to on-field action on Friday.

Jacob Umaga makes his much anticipated return from injury as he joins the Wasps starting line-up at full-back.

Following an impressive display on Tuesday night vs Newcastle Falcons, Francois Hougaard starts at 14, with Josh Bassett at 11.

Sam Spink and Burger Odendaal form the centre partnership, with Charlie Atkinson and Will Porter linking up at half-backs.

Dan Frost makes his first start of the season and will line up alongside Tom West and Biyi Alo in the front row.

Captain Joe Launchbury links up with Kiran McDonald in the second row, with Nizaam Carr, Jack Willis and Tom Willis in the back row to complete the pack.

Amongst the replacements, Gabriel Oghre features in the squad for the first time this season. Tim Cardall is also set to make his 50th Wasps appearance should he feature in Friday’s game.

Form: Bath Rugby have lost their last three Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches since their 27-24 victory at home to London Irish in May. That was Bath’s first victory at the Recreation Ground since they beat Bristol Bears there in March. Wasps are without a victory in Premiership Rugby since beating Worcester at Coventry Building Society Arena at the end of April, although they did draw 42-all at London Irish on 1 May. Wasps have won just once away from home in Gallagher Premiership Rugby since February: 27-21 at Gloucester on 2 April. Wasps have won their last six fixtures against Bath in Premiership Rugby, their best sequence against the south-westerners, since Bath’s 29-17 win at the Rec in May 2019. Wasps have won on their last three visits to the Rec.

The teams:

Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Will Muir, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Richard de Carpentier, 7 Chris Cloete, 6 Miles Reid, 5 Josh McNally, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Lewis Boyce
Replacements: 16 Tom Doughty, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 GJ van Velze, 21 Max Green, 22 Piers Francis, 23 Josh Bayliss

Wasps: 15 Jacob Umaga, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Sam Spink, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Will Porter, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Jack Willis, 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Kiran McDonald, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 3 Biyi Alo, 2 Dan Frost, 1 Tom West
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 John Ryan, 19 Tim Cardall, 20 Ben Morris, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Ryan Mills, 23 Zach Kibirige

Venue: The Rec
Kick-off: 19:45 BST (18:45 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe, Jonathan Healy
TMO: Luke Pearce

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