BEARS WELCOME BACK SEVEN INTERNATIONALS FOR SAINTS CLASH
Bristol Bears welcome back seven stars from international duty for Saturday evening’s Gallagher PREM clash with Northampton Saints at Ashton Gate (5.45pm KO, live on TNT Sports).
Tom Jordan, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Santiago Grondona, Viliame Mata and Pedro Rubiolo are all named in Pat Lam’s starting XV for the round six showdown, with Louis Rees-Zammit and Luka Ivanishvili named among the replacements.
Jordan starts at full back against the Saints, with Academy fly half Sam Worsley wearing the number ten shirt. James Williams makes his first league appearance of the season, partnering Benhard Janse van Rensburg, fresh from signing a new contract with the club this week, in the midfield.
Harry Thacker will make his 141st appearance for the club, while Gabriel Oghre is set for his 50th competitive appearance from the bench. Academy duo Jimmy Halliwell and Aidan Boshoff are also included among the replacements.
Bristol Bears team to face Northampton Saints at Ashton Gate on Saturday (5.45pm KO, live on TNT Sports):
15. Tom Jordan (4 apps), 14. Jack Bates (58 apps), 13. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (56 apps), 12. James Williams (57 apps), 11. Kalaveti Ravouvou (37 apps), 10. Sam Worsley (23 apps), 9. Kieran Marmion (58 apps); 1. Jake Woolmore (175 apps), 2. Harry Thacker (140 apps), 3. Lovejoy Chawatama (15 apps), 4. Pedro Rubiolo (5 apps), 5. Joe Batley (81 apps), 6. Santiago Grondona (18 apps), 7. Fitz Harding (103 apps) (c), 8. Viliame Mata (23 apps).
System players: 16. Gabriel Oghre (49 apps), 17. Max Lahiff (112 apps), 18. Jimmy Halliwell (16 apps), 19. Joe Owen (43 apps), 20. Luka Ivanishvili (4 apps), 21. Sam Wolstenholme (12 apps), 22. Louis Rees-Zammit (4 apps), 23. Aidan Boshoff (9 apps).
Unavailable: Ellis Genge, Will Capon, George Kloska, James Dun, Paddy Pearce, Steven Luatua, Kofi Cripps, Harry Randall, Max Pepper, AJ MacGinty, Toby Baker, Joe Jenkins, Gabriel Ibitoye, Rich Lane, Noah Heward.