Carreras handed rare start at 10 as Bath ring the changes for Sale trip

Pumas star Santi Carreras will pull on the Bath No.10 jersey for only the second time since his summer move to the club in Sunday’s clash against Sale Sharks at the CorpAcq Stadium.

Carreras’ only previous start at fly-half was against Newcastle Red Bulls in December, when he missed three of his eight attempts at goal but still contributed 10 points in the 50-14 victory at Kingston Park.

The Argentinian replaces the rested Finn Russell in a new half-back partnership with Tom Carr-Smith, with England’s Ben Spencer also given a week off.

Outside of them, Cameron Redpath and Louie Hennessey will combine in the midfield.

Joe Cokanasiga is recalled to the wing, with Will Muir and Tom de Glanville completing the back three.

Upfront, Bath boss Johann van Graan has elected to pick a relatively inexperienced front row, with Dan Frost between props Scott Kirk and Vilikesa Sela, who has recovered from a rib injury to make the trip north.

Will Jeanes and Ross Molony, who has overcome a bicep injury, line up in the second row, while Ted Hill and Ethan Staddon are the flankers and Miles Reid captains the side from No.8.

This will be the fifth time Reid has captained Bath in the Premiership, with all but one of those matches against northern opposition (Sale and Newcastle twice apiece).

Bath’s power-packed bench includes Springbok Thomas du Toit and England duo, Beno Obano and Charlie Ewels.

Bath Rugby: 1 Scott Kirk, 2 Dan Frost, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Will Jeanes, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Ethan Staddon, 8 Miles Reid (c), 9 Tom Carr-Smith, 10 Santi Carreras, 11 Will Muir, 12 Cameron Redpath, 13 Louie Hennessey, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville

Replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Ewan Richards, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Chris Harris, 23 Alfie Barbeary