Finn Russell still an injury concern as Bath name team to face Exeter

Scotland and Lions international Finn Russell has failed to recover from a calf injury in time to make Bath’s play-off semi-final against Exeter at The Rec this Saturday.

Russell missed the away defeat to Bristol and the narrow home win over Leicester in the final two rounds of the regular season and will now sit out a third straight game. Guy Pepper’s continued absence is also a concern for the blue, black and white faithful.

Bath, who have looked a little one-dimensional without their star playmaker pulling the strings, have opted to give summer signing Santi Carerras another run out at 10. He’ll be partnered at half-back by captain Ben Spencer, who’ll lead the team out at home for the final time this season.

Max Ojomoh brings up a century of appearances for his hometown club, while Johann van Graan has retained faith in out-of-sorts Ollie Lawrence in an all-England midfield.

The back three also remains unchanged from the 24-22 victory over Tigers, with Henry Arundell and Joe Cokanasiga on the wings and Tom de Glanville at full-back.

The Bath pack welcomes back suspended duo, Tom Dunn and Quinn Roux. Dunn is the only change to the front row, with props Beno Obano and Thoams du Toit either side of him, while Roux joins Charlie Ewels in the engine room.

Josh Bayliss is named at blindside, Sam Underhill at openside, and Alfie Barbeary is at No.8 in a back row combining pace and collision dominance.

Livewire scrum-half Bernard van der Linde returns after six weeks out with an ankle injury to cover Spencer from the bench.

Bath Rugby: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels, 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Ben Spencer (c), 10 Santi Carreras, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville.

Replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Vilikesa Sela, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Ted Hill, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Cameron Redpath, 23 Miles Reid.