Teams up v Bath - Anglo-Welsh Cup

[RagingBull]

Leicester Tigers (v Bath Rugby, away, Friday 7.45pm)
15 George Worth
14 Tom Brady
13 Matt Smith (c)
12 Jack Roberts
11 George Catchpole
10 Freddie Burns
9 Jono Kitto
1 Greg Bateman
2 Harry Thacker
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Harry Wells
5 Joe Maksymiw
6 Luke Hamilton
7 Will Evans
8 Tomas Leonardi

Replacements
16 George McGuigan
17 Riccardo Brugnara
18 Pat Cilliers
19 Tom Croft
20 Fred Tuilagi
21 Sam Harrison
22 Oli Bryant
23 Charlie Thacker

[LE18]

Pretty strong team that, good to see Crofty on bench and Bateman and Balmain starting!

[Soggypitch]

Yes fantastic news that Tom Croft is back - Cockers kept that up his sleeve!!

[Tigerbeat]

Bath Rugby has named a starting XV that will see six players make their starting debut for the West Country side against Leicester Tigers in the Anglo-Welsh Cup at the Recreation Ground tomorrow evening, with a further three in line to make their first Club appearance from the bench.

Alex Humfrey, Darren Atkins and Jack Wilson will all make their full debuts, with Beno Obano, Shaun Knight and Levi Douglas all named in the pack for their first starts for Bath.

Obano and Knight scrum down in the front row either side of Michael van Vuuren at hooker, and Humfrey has the more experienced Elliott Stooke alongside him. Guy Mercer leads the side from the openside, as Douglas and Zach Mercer complete the pack on the blindside and at number eight respectively.

Pacy Atkins takes his place at fullback and new arrival Wilson will line-up on the left wing. Jeff Williams is named on the right wing and Dan Bowden and Aled Brew form a new midfield partnership. Adam Hastings and Will Homer will be orchestrating proceedings in the half-backs.

On the bench, hooker Gabriel Oghre, back row Josh Bayliss and scrum-half Darren Allinson (on loan from London Irish) could make their senior bow.

Bath Rugby team to face Leicester Tigers

15. Darren Atkins
14. Jeff Williams
13. Aled Brew
12. Dan Bowden
11. Jack Wilson
10. Adam Hastings
9. Will Homer

1. Beno Obano
2. Michael van Vuuren
3. Shaun Knight
4. Elliott Stooke
5. Alex Humfrey
6. Levi Douglas
7. Guy Mercer ( c )
8. Zach Mercer

Replacements
16. Gabriel Oghre
17. Max Lahiff
18. Kane Palma-Newport
19. Tom Ellis
20. Josh Bayliss
21. Darren Allinson
22. Rhys Priestland
23. Rory Jennings

[Iain]

Not the strongest Bath side is it?

[drc_007]

Dan Bowden at 12 for Bath, nice to see him playing.

[BG01]

I mean, it's not the strongest Tigers side either. If you were a Bath fan you'd look at our side and think 'who?' (btw I think this is a good thing, it's what the LV is about) whereas we're all like 'Worth is the next big thing, what a star!'

For them players like Brew, Bowden, Homer, Stooke, Mercer, and Lahiff are all proper first team players. Probably a similar number to us.

I do think the experienced spine of our team is what sets the teams apart, although both have quality in spades.

[strawclearer]

Good side - pleased to see Worth, Balmain and the 2nd row of Wells and Maksymiw. Delighted Tom C is figuring at last! Hoping that Cocker is giving Freddie much needed game time with Owen starting against Dragons so that Freddie can start vs Quins - has to be first choice 10 imho.

[MurphysLaw]

A nice mix of experience and youth. Great to see Crofty back, and looking forward to seeing how Leonardi and Cilliers go.

[BFG]

Looks like a strong side.
Bateman at loose head to try and keep Thacker from being bullied.
Hope they don't get caught out on the other side.
Should have plenty to beat Bath.

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

I am going Tom the game with Flashman Jnr and with this team I am praying that his first game (5 years old) is a win. Very strong backs and good quality on the bench as back up. Evans starting is a huge plus esp with Hamilton who is yet to shine, which I think he will.

Looking forward to it.

[G.K]

Yes fantastic news that Tom Croft is back - Cockers kept that up his sleeve!!

<Brian Blessed Voice> Croft's alive??

[Noddy555]

I'm glad to see that Bath like the Tigers have responded to the spirit of this competition by fielding some of their youngsters intermingled with second string players. The whole ethos of this competition was to give younger players a chance to play first 15 rugby. I'm looking forward to watching this on the Tele and in person next week at home to Newport Gwent Dragons.

[MrPartridge]

Imean, great to see Fred at 10, but if he gets injured tonight we will all say 'why the hell was he in the team?'.

Can we risk losing him at the moment?

[TigerCam]

Looking forward to watching this tonight as you really don't know which way it will go given the makeup of both sides?