Bath name squad for Pau Cup tie

Bath’s Head of Rugby has made seven changes from the side that played against Harlequins in Round 13 of the Gallagher Premiership last weekend.

Archie Griffin comes into the front row as tighthead prop alongside hooker Tom Dunn and loosehead prop Beno Obano.

Quinn Roux returns in the engine room to partner fellow lock Ross Molony, fresh from the Irishman scoring Bath’s third try in the win against Quins.

Josh Bayliss is another change at number 6 whilst openside flanker Sam Underhill makes his first start in a Bath jersey following two substitute appearances after recovering from ankle surgery. Miles Reid moves to No.8.

Scrum-half and captain Ben Spencer is joined by Ciaran Donoghue with the young fly-half making his European debut and first appearance since the Premiership Rugby Cup final.

Will Butt and Max Ojomoh start at inside centre and outside centre, respectively. Will Muir, who scored two tries last Saturday against Harlequins, starts again on the wing with Joe Cokanasiga, also a try-scorer in that game, patrolling the opposite touchline.

Ruaridh McConnochie completes the starting XV at full-back.

Named amongst the impact players, hooker Kepueli Tuipulotu and props Francois van Wyk and Kieran Verden, set to play his first game for Bath in Europe, are the replacement front-row. Ewan Richards, who captained Bath to Premiership Rugby Cup success, is joined by Ted Hill and Jaco Coetzee as the other forwards on the bench. Scrum-half Tom Carr-Smith and fellow back Orlando Bailey complete the six-two split.

Bath Rugby Starting XV: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Archie Griffin, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Miles Reid, 9 Ben Spencer ©️, 10 Ciaran Donoghue, 11 Will Muir, 12 Will Butt, 13 Max Ojomoh, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Ruaridh McConnochie.

Replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Kieran Verden, 19 Ewan Richards, 20, Ted Hill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Jaco Coetzee.