Team news: Bristol Bears vs Bordeaux-Begles

Bristol Bears welcome back a trio of internationals to the starting XV for Sunday’s Investec Champions Cup Pool Four shootout with reigning champions Bordeaux-Begles at Ashton Gate (1pm KO, live on Premier Sports).

British & Irish Lion Ellis Genge comes in at loosehead for the mouthwatering clash with the French Top 14 giants, with Harry Randall starting at scrum half and Welsh international flyer Louis Rees-Zammit returning at full back, as Pat Lam makes three changes from the side that stormed to a record-breaking victory over Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld last weekend.

Last week’s hat-trick hero Noah Heward continues on the wing, alongside Fijian flyer Kalavati Ravouvou, while in the back row, Viliame Mata, fresh from extending his stay with the club, starts at number eight.

Skipper Fitz Harding leads the side from the openside flank, with Argentina’s Santiago Grondona completing the back row.

Academy duo Jimmy Halliwell and Sam Worsley are included among the replacements.

Bristol Bears team to face Bordeuax-Begles at Ashton Gate on Sunday (1pm KO, live on Premier Sports):

15. Louis Rees-Zammit (9 apps), 14. Noah Heward (34 apps), 13. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (62 apps), 12. James Williams (64 apps), 11. Kalaveti Ravouvou (44 apps), 10. Tom Jordan (11 apps), 9. Harry Randall (152 apps); 1. Ellis Genge (69 apps), 2. Gabriel Oghre (55 apps), 3. George Kloska (74 apps), 4. Pedro Rubiolo (12 apps), 5. Joe Batley (87 apps), 6. Santiago Grondona (24 apps), 7. Fitz Harding (c) (110 apps), 8. Viliame Mata (28 apps).

System players: 16. Harry Thacker (147 apps), 17. Max Lahiff (117 apps), 18. Jimmy Halliwell (20 apps), 19. Joe Owen (50 apps), 20. Benjamin Grondona (32 apps), 21. Kieran Marmion (64 apps), 22. Sam Worsley (30 apps), 23. Matias Moroni (5 apps).

Unavailable: Will Capon, Jake Woolmore, Lovejoy Chawatama, Paddy Pearce, Kenzie Jenkins, Steven Luatua, Kofi Cripps, AJ MacGinty, Toby Baker, Joe Jenkins, Aidan Boshoff.