Two debutants on Bath bench for Premiership final repeat versus Saints

Two Bath recruits, loosehead prop Francois van Wyk and flanker Guy Pepper, are poised to make their debuts on Friday against Northampton Saints after being named on the bench by Johann van Graan.

Van Wyk, 33, arrived from Leicester Tigers over the summer, while Pepper, 21, has joined from Newcastle Falcons. They will start on what is a 6-2 split on the bench.

The XV named by van Graan is not too dissimilar to the one that ran out at Twickenham against the Saints for their repeat meeting in the opening round of the Premiership.

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The two changes in the pack see Will Stuart start at tighthead in Thomas du Toit’s place, and Miles Reid take Sam Underhill’s place at openside. Reid will be making his 100th Bath appearance at the Rec.

The two changes in the backline see Will Butt start at inside centre in the injured Cameron Redpath’s place and Tom de Glanville fill in at fullback for the departed Matt Gallagher.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Bath

38 - 16

Full-time

Northampton

All Stats and Data

Bath XV
1 Beno Obano
2 Tom Dunn
3 Will Stuart
4 Quinn Roux
5 Charlie Ewels
6 Ted Hill
7 Miles Reid (100)
8 Alfie Barbeary
9 Ben Spencer ©
10 Finn Russell
11 Will Muir
12 Will Butt
13 Ollie Lawrence
14 Joe Cokanasiga
15 Tom de Glanville

Replacements
16 Niall Annett
17 Francois van Wyk (debut)
18 Archie Griffin
19 Jacques du Plessis
20 Guy Pepper (debut)
21 Louis Schreuder
22 Orlando Bailey
23 Jaco Coetzee