'Galacticos' Bath opt for rookie half-backs vs Newcastle

Bath Head of Rugby Johann van Graan has given captain Ben Spencer the week off, while Finn Russell has been benched, as the runaway Gallagher Premiership leaders go for youth at half-back in Saturday’s top-versus-bottom clash vs Newcastle at The Rec.

Tom Carr-Smith and Ciaran Donoghue, who shone in Bath’s triumphant Premiership Rugby Cup win and have also impressed in the Challenge Cup, have been given the task of steering Bath to the bonus-point win they need to secure number one seed status in the play-offs with three rounds to go.

For Carr-Smith, it is a first league start of the season, while fellow academy product, Donoghue, who was Player of the Match against Pau earlier this month, makes his Premiership debut at 10.

Former Wales U20 international Louie Hennessey starts on the wing for only the second time in his Bath career, while Ruaridh McConnochie is on the other flank and Austin Emens completes the new-look back three.

In a midfield beset by injuries, Will Butt and Cam Redpath have been asked to step up and fill the hole left by Max Ojomoh and Ollie Lawrence.

Upfront, Charlie Ewels leads the team in Spencer’s absence and has Quinn Roux alongside him in the second row. Francois van Wyk, Niall Annett and Will Stuart form the front row, while Ted Hill, Sam Underhill and Alfie Barbeary make for a powerful back-row unit. Former Newcastle flanker Guy Pepper, who is fit again after a toe injury, has to settle for a place on a 6-2 bench.

BATH RUGBY vs Newcastle: 1 Francois van Wyk, 2 Niall Annett, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels ©, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Tom Carr-Smith, 10 Ciaran Donoghue, 11 Louie Hennessey, 12 Will Butt, 13 Cameron Redpath, 14 Ruaridh McConnochie, 15 Austin Emens

Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Josh Bayliss, 20, Guy Pepper, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Finn Russell, 23 Kepu Tuipulotu