Bristol Bears team to face Gloucester in cup opener

Tom Jordan will make his Bristol Bears debut in Friday night’s PREM Rugby Cup clash with Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm (7.45pm KO, live on TNT Sports).

The Scotland international, who arrived from Glasgow Warriors this summer, is named at full-back for the Bears’ final fixture before the start of the new Gallagher PREM season next weekend.

Jordan is joined in the back three by Louis Rees-Zammit, who makes his first start for the club against his former club, and Wales U20 wing Aidan Boshoff, who is one of 11 current Academy players in the matchday 23.

Harry Randall makes his first appearance of the season having returned from international duty with England to partner AJ MacGinty at half back, while an all-Academy midfield of Joe Jenkins and Toby Baker completes the backline.

Up front, Lam makes five changes from the side that faced Sale Sharks in Salford last weekend, with Sam Grahamslaw, Gabriel Oghre – another to return from international duty – and Lovejoy Chawatama named in the front row.

Paddy Pearce and Joe Owen line up in the engine room, while Kofi Cripps earns a start at openside alongside Luka Ivanishvili and Ben Grondona.

Bristol Bears team to face Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm on Friday night in the PREM Rugby Cup (7.45pm KO, live on TNT Sports):

15. Tom Jordan (debut), 14. Louis Rees-Zammit (1 app), 13. Joe Jenkins (27 apps), 12. Toby Baker (2 apps), 11. Aidan Boshoff (4 apps), 10. AJ MacGinty (54 apps), 9. Harry Randall (c) (146 apps); 1. Sam Grahamslaw (13 apps), 2. Gabriel Oghre (43 apps), 3. Lovejoy Chawatama (6 apps), 4. Paddy Pearce (14 apps), 5. Joe Owen (36 apps), 6. Luka Ivanishvili (1 app), 7. Kofi Cripps (4 apps), 8. Ben Grondona (21 apps).

System players: 16. Tomas Gwilliam (6 apps), 17. Louie Trevett (3 apps), 18. Jimmy Halliwell (12 apps), 19. Kenzie Jenkins (4 apps), 20. Fitz Harding (98 apps), 21. Max Pepper (1 app), 22. Sam Worsley (17 apps), 23. Evan Morris (debut)