Team news: La Rochelle vs Bristol Bears

Steven Luatua returns to the Bristol Bears starting XV for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup round two clash with La Rochelle at Stade Marcel-Deflandre on Saturday (8pm KO GMT, live on Premier Sports).

The Bears centurion will lead the side in the absence of the injured Fitz Harding, taking his place in the second row alongside Academy graduate Joe Owen, while in the front row, Lovejoy Chawatama will make his first Champions Cup start for the club.

Gabriel Oghre starts at hooker for the matchup with the two-time winners, while in the back line, 20-year-old Argentinian Benjamin Elizalde and Bristolian Academy fly half Sam Worsley come into the side, with the latter replacing the injured AJ MacGinty in the number 10 shirt.

Among the replacements, Jamie Hodgson is set for his debut for the club having joined on loan from Edinburgh last week.

15. Benjamin Elizalde (7 apps), 14. Jack Bates (44 apps), 13. Kalaveti Ravouvou (14 apps), 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (33 apps), 11. Gabriel Ibitoye (50 apps), 10. Sam Worsley (12 apps), 9. Harry Randall (132 apps); 1. Ellis Genge (50 apps), 2. Gabriel Oghre (26 apps), 3. Lovejoy Chawatama (5 apps), 4. Steven Luatua (c) (137 apps), 5. Joe Owen (21 apps), 6. Santiago Grondona (5 apps), 7. Jake Heenan (114 apps), 8. Viliame Mata (2 apps).

System players: 16. Harry Thacker (121 apps), 17. Jake Woolmore (159 apps), 18. Max Lahiff (96 apps), 19, Jamie Hodgson (debut), 20. Ben Grondona (12 apps), 21. Kieran Marmion (34 apps), 22. Rich Lane (44 apps), 23. Joe Jenkins (20 apps).

Unavailable: Sam Grahamslaw, Tom Doughty, George Kloska, Joe Batley, James Dun, Josh Caulfield, Steele Barker, George Taylor, Kofi Cripps, Fitz Harding, Sam Wolstenholme, AJ MacGinty, James Williams, Noah Heward, Deago Bailey, Max Malins, Siva Naulago