Bath v Gloucester: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 28/04/16 3:42pm
Club captain Stuart Hooper will return for Bath's local derby against Premiership rivals Gloucester on Friday.
Hooper will partner Wales international Dominic Day in the second row for one of rugby's oldest rivalries.
The back row of Matt Garvey, Francois Louw and Leroy Houston is unchanged from the disappointing loss to Saracens last time out. Only hooker Rob Webber remains from that starting front row, joined this week by Max Lahiff and David Wilson.
Dan Bowden, who made his club debut last Saturday at inside centre, moves to fly-half, as scrum-half Chris Cook makes his 10th start of the season. Kyle Eastmond returns at inside centre with Matt Banahan partnering him in the midfield.
Bath are without George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson and Ollie Devoto who are all involved in England's Six Nations campaign.
Gloucester have made three changes to their starting line-up from the side that were pipped by Leicester last weekend.
Prop John Afoa will make his first appearance of 2016 having injured his calf against Harlequins in Big Game 8 at Twickenham on December 27th. He replaces Paul Doran-Jones in the front row.
Other changes see Steve McColl move to the left wing from full-back to replace David Halaifonua, with Bath-born Billy Burns taking over the 15 shirt. And, in the second row, Mariano Galarza comes in for Jeremy Thrush.
Aside from the usual question of local bragging rights, both teams come into this game bristling at having squandered decent leads last weekend - Gloucester were 12-0 up at home to Tigers while Bath led 13-0 at Saracens at half time before going down 13-19.
"We all know how disappointing it was to lose in the way we did, in the last minute," said Director of Rugby David Humphreys.
"We're also very conscious that it was the first game of a 10-game block in the Aviva Premiership. The season doesn't stand and fall on one defeat.
"We've got a huge challenge at Bath this weekend and that was a big factor in getting everyone's minds back on the task in hand. We're well aware of the challenge ahead.
"It's a tough one. But, it's probably fair to say at this stage, that every Premiership game will be tough when you see what's at stake at both ends of the table. One or two wins takes you up and, in the same way, one or two defeats can knock you down a couple of places.
"Hugely exciting this weekend. It's a game that everyone you meet looks forward to and we've got a great chance to bounce back from Saturday."
Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Matt Banahan, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Dan Bowden, 9 Chris Cook, 1 Max Lahiff, 2 Rob Webber, 3 David Wilson, 4 Stuart Hooper (c), 5 Dominic Day, 6 Matt Garvey, 7 Francois Louw, 8 Leroy Houston.
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Ellis, 21 Alafoti Faosiliva, 22 Niko Matawalu, 23 Max Clark.
Gloucester: 15 Billy Burns, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Bill Meakes, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (c), 11 Steve McColl, 10 James Hook, 9 Willi Heinz; 1 Paddy McAllister, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 John Afoa, 4 Tom Savage, 5 Mariano Galarza, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Jacob Rowan, 8 Ben Morgan.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Nick Wood, 18 Nicky Thomas, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Matt Kvesic, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Mark Atkinson, 23 Ross Moriarty.