Bristol name team for Gloucester, hand starts to trio of new arrivals

Bristol Bears have handed first starts to a trio of new arrivals as Pat Lam’s side head to Kingsholm on Friday for round 15 of the Gallagher Premiership on Friday.

Saracens loan duo Max Malins and Ben Earl both earn first starts, while Kyle Sinckler is also named in the starting line-up to face Gloucester in the West Country derby.

With three Premiership games in eight days, Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam has shuffled his pack, making eight changes from the side that overcame Saracens last weekend in a sixth successive Premiership win.

Ex-Premiership regular Alex Grove guests on The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series

Ex-Premiership regular Alex Grove guests on The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series

In the backline, Alapati Leiua and Andy Uren earn starts, while Harry Thacker and Joe Joyce are named in the pack. Tiff Eden and Bristolian duo Yann Thomas and Will Capon come onto the bench and could make their first outing since the competition restart.

Lam said: “This week has been about ensuring we improve and build on our team performance against Saracens. “I believe if we can add a bit more accuracy and detail to the outstanding teamwork rate and passion shown last week, it will give us a better chance to get the points on offer.

?? Kingsholm challenge
? Starting on a high
?? Depth test@henrypurdy_ talks winning starts, Gloucester threats and squad depth. ??

Full interview ?

— Bristol Bears ? (@BristolBears) August 20, 2020

“While we’re excited about going to Kingsholm for our first away game since lockdown, the fact that Bristol have not won there for fourteen years emphasises the tough challenge we face tomorrow.”

BRISTOL BEARS (vs Gloucester, Friday)

15. Max Malins; 14. Alapati Leiua, 13. Semi Radradra, 12. Siale Piutau, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Andy Uren; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Joe Joyce, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Steven Luatua (c), 7. Ben Earl, 8. Nathan Hughes.

System players: 16. Will Capon, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. Max Lahiff, 19. Ed Holmes, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Harry Randall, 22. Tiff Eden, 23. Luke Morahan.

'We have the best training centre in the country and that is not bragging, that is just factual'@BristolBears CEO Mark Tainton on their new training centre, ring-fencing, Lam, Radradra & how a clean-out of players in 2017 was needed, writes @heagneyl https://t.co/fsHrkGupXc

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 12, 2020