Team News: Luatua captains Bristol, Gloucester name an unchanged starting lineup
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Steven Luatua returns to the Bears starting XV for Friday night’s West Country derby clash with Gloucester at Ashton Gate on Friday night (7.45pm KO, live on BT Sport).
The All Black captains the side in his first start since dislocating his wrist against Harlequins last month, joining Sam Jeffries and Fitz Harding in the back row. Toby Fricker recovers from a chest injury to start on the wing for the first time since Boxing Day, with Luke Morahan switching to full back in place of the injured Charles Piutau (groin).
Antoine Frisch partners Piers O’Conor in the midfield, while homegrown duo Andy Uren and Callum Sheedy line up at half-back.
As for Gloucester, George Skivington has named an unchanged starting 15 with Andrew Davidson's inclusion on the bench being the only change to the 23 from last week.
The Cherry and Whites return to Premiership action against Bristol Bears having beaten Northampton Saints last Saturday to progress into the quarterfinals of the Challenge Cup.
TEAMS
BRISTOL
15. Santiago Carreras
14. Louis Rees-Zammit *
13. Chris Harris
12. Mark Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley *
10. Adam Hastings
9. Charlie Chapman *
1. Val Rapava-Ruskin
2. Santiago Socino
3. Fraser Balmain
4. Freddie Clarke *
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Jordy Reid
7. Lewis Ludlow *
8. Ruan Ackermann
16. Jack Singleton
17. Harry Elrington
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Andrew Davidson
20. Ben Morgan
21. Ben Meehan
22. Billy Twelvetrees
23. Tom Seabrook *
*Denotes Academy player or graduate from the Gloucester Rugby Academy.
15. Luke Morahan (95 apps), 14. Toby Fricker (25 apps), 13. Piers O’Conor (105 apps), 12. Antoine Frisch (12 apps), 11. Alapati Leiua (100 apps), 10. Callum Sheedy (128 apps), 9. Andy Uren (131 apps); 1. Jake Woolmore (104 apps), 2. Harry Thacker (73 apps), 3. John Afoa (84 apps), 4. Ed Holmes (83 apps), 5. Chris Vui (90 apps), 6. Steven Luatua (c) (95 apps), 7. Sam Jeffries (50 apps), 8. Fitz Harding (29 apps).
System players: 16. Jake Kerr (19 apps), 17. Jono Benz-Salomon (4 apps), 18. Jake Armstrong (29 apps), 19. Joe Joyce (148 apps), 20. Dan Thomas (106 apps), 21. Harry Randall (81 apps), 22. Sam Bedlow (46 apps), 23. Jack Bates (18 apps).
Unavailable: Max Lahiff, Yann Thomas, Kyle Sinckler, Bryan Byrne, Dave Attwood, Jake Heenan, Nathan Hughes, Oscar Lennon, Tom Whiteley, Ioan Lloyd, Siva Naulago, Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra, Rich Lane.
GLOUCESTER
