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Genge and Sinckler included as Bristol and Bath name round one teams
England vice-captain Ellis Genge will start for Bristol in this Friday’s Ashton Gate west country derby versus Bath. A club statement read: “Ellis Genge will make his hometown return when Bristol Bears take on rivals Bath at Ashton Gate on the opening night of the new Gallagher Premiership season.
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“The Bristolian prop starts in the front row alongside England teammate Kyle Sinckler and hooker Bryan Byrne, while Joe Joyce returns from injury to partner Chris Vui in the engine room. Jake Heenan captains the side this week in the absence of Steven Luatua, while Magnus Bradbury is set for his first competitive appearance for the club at number eight alongside recent England call-up Sam Jeffries.
“Harry Randall and Callum Sheedy are the half-backs, with Sam Bedlow and Piers O’Conor lining up in the midfield. Charles Piutau, Rich Lane and Luke Morahan complete the starting XV. Elsewhere, AJ MacGinty and Sam Lewis could make their first competitive appearances for the club from the replacements bench.”
A Bath statement on their line-up read: “After being announced as captain in midweek, Ben Spencer will lead the side from scrum-half at Ashton Gate, in a starting XV that contains four debutants.
“Piers Francis and Matt Gallagher line-up at fly-half and wing respectively. Tighthead prop Aranos Coetzee and flanker Chris Cloete are named among the forwards. Having previously spent eight years at The Rec between 2011-2019, Dave Attwood will make it appearance 158 in Blue, Black and White alongside Josh McNally in the second row.
“Also in the pack, Beno Obano and Tom Dunn complete the front row while blindside flanker Josh Bayliss and Number 8 Jaco Coetzee are also included. Tom de Glanville will make his 50th club outing from full-back and is joined the back three by fellow homegrown player Gabriel Hamer-Webb.
“Following a long period on the sidelines, Cameron Redpath is back in the centre alongside Will Butt. Niall Annett and Louis Schreuder will earn their Bath Rugby debuts should they appear from the bench.”
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Head of rugby Johann van Graan said: “The opening game in the Premiership is something you relish as a sportsman. I’m looking forward to seeing the players perform on Friday night. We have spoken about the pride of the jersey, and we want to make our supporters proud, and we want everyone associated with Bath to be proud of each other.”
BRISTOL BEARS: 15. Charles Piutau (64 apps); 14. Luke Morahan (98 apps), 13. Piers O’Conor (108 apps), 12. Sam Bedlow (47 apps), 11. Rich Lane (5 apps); 10. Callum Sheedy (132 apps), 9. Harry Randall (85 apps); 1. Ellis Genge (23 apps), 2. Bryan Byrne (32 apps), 3. Kyle Sinckler (32 apps), 4. Joe Joyce (151 apps), 5. Chris Vui (93 apps), 6. Sam Jeffries (54 apps), 7. Jake Heenan (c) (65 apps), 8. Magnus Bradbury (debut). Reps: 16. Will Capon (59 apps), 17. Jake Woolmore (108 apps), 18. Max Lahiff (40 apps), 19. Ed Holmes (85 apps), 20. Sam Lewis (debut), 21. Andy Uren (135 apps), 22. AJ MacGinty (debut), 23. Jack Bates (21 apps).
BATH: 15. Tom de Glanville; 14. Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 13. Will Butt, 12. Cameron Redpath, 11. Matt Gallagher; 10. Piers Francis, 9. Ben Spencer capt; 1. Beno Obano, 2. Tom Dunn, 3. Aranos Coetzee, 4. Dave Attwood, 5. Josh McNally, 6. Josh Bayliss, 7. Chris Cloete, 8. Jaco Coetzee. Reps: 16. Niall Annett, 17. Lewis Boyce, 18. Johannes Jonker, 19. Will Spencer, 20. Ewan Richards, 21. Louis Schreuder, 22. Orlando Bailey, 23. Richard de Carpentier.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
1 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
5 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
5 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
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