Bath Rugby will field a strong side as they welcome Cardiff Blues to the Recreation Ground tomorrow night for the opening round of the LV= Cup, kick-off 7.45pm.
Bath Rugby will field a strong side as they welcome Cardiff Blues to the Recreation Ground tomorrow night for the opening round of the LV= Cup, kick-off 7.45pm.
And as Brad Davis, Defence and Skills coach, explains, the side taking to the field tomorrow night is an intriguing mix of familiar faces and some of Bath’s rising stars.
“The younger guys in the team are those who have been challenging for selection since the start of the season. The likes of Guy Mercer and Josh Ovens have earned the right to play through the hard work they have put in, so it’s good that they are getting the chance to run out at the Rec in front of the home crowd.
“It’s a big stage, against one of the best clubs in Europe, who will be a big physical test, so it will be interesting to see how the guys get on, and how far they have developed.
“All the players are very up for this game – bragging rights are definitely on offer, especially from an England versus Wales point of view, so the desire to win is very much there.”
Jacques Boussuge, Ross Batty and John van der Giessen all make their first starts for Bath Rugby, whilst Matt Banahan is given the captains armband for the first time.
There is also a welcome return to the bench for Peter Short, Lee Mears and Aaron Jarvis, who are all back from injury.
Bath Rugby team to face Cardiff Blues
15. Jack Cuthbert 14. Jacques Boussuge 13. Matt Banahan (c) 12. Ben Williams 11. Tom Biggs 10. Olly Barkley 9. Mark McMillan
1. David Flatman 2. Ross Batty 3. Duncan Bell 4. John van der Giessen 5. Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe 6. Josh Ovens 7. Guy Mercer 8. Ben Skirving
Replacements 16. Lee Mears 17. David Barnes 18. Aaron Jarvis 19. Peter Short 20. Will Skuse 21. Chris Cook 22. Paul Roberts 23. Nick Scott