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Landmark game for Beno Obano as Will Muir returns
By Jon Newcombe
Beno Obano will make his 150th appearance for Bath against Sale Sharks at The Rec this Saturday, while Will Muir is fit again to take his place on the wing after missing the last three games because of a knee injury.
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Obano, who is in his 11th season at the club, is the only Bath player along with fly-half Finn Russell to be handed starts in all six Gallagher Premiership matches this season.
The Bath XV shows seven changes of personnel and one positional from last week’s dramatic 26-24 win at Harlequins, with Obano packing down in the front row with retained hooker Tom Dunn and Thomas du Toit, who comes in at tight-head for England’s Will Stuart.
Quinn Roux is partnered in the second row by Ross Molony for the second time this season, and the first since Leicester away in round two, while flankers Ted Hill and Guy Pepper, who moves to the openside, are joined in the back row by No.8, Mile Reid, who captains the side.
Reid has led Bath before, first wearing the armband up at Newcastle towards the end of the 2020/21 season, and takes on the responsibility this Saturday due to Ben Spencer being away with England.
Louis Schreuder makes his first start of the season as a result of Spencer’s absence. The last time he and Russell started together in the blue, black and white hoops was away to Bristol, in Round 15 last season.
With Cam Redpath ruled out due to a leg injury, Wales U20 international Louis Hennessey is handed his first outing of the campaign outside of Will Butt in the centres.
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In the back three, Muir is on one wing and Joe Cokanasiga is on the other, while in-form Tom de Glanville has shaken off a knock to line up at full-back.
Ethan Staddon could make his first Premiership appearance of the season from the bench.
Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks: 15 Tom de Glanville; 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Louie Hennessey, 12 Will Butt, 11 Will Muir; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Louis Schreuder; 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Miles Reid ©. Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Vilikesa Sela, 19 Josh Bayliss, 20 Ethan Staddon, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Jaco Coetzee.