Miles Reid to earn 100th Bath cap
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Premiership Rugby is back and will be kicked off under the lights at The Rec against Northampton Saints.
Set to make his 100th appearance for his boyhood club, Miles Reid will pull on the Blue, Black and White to mark his centurion appearance for Bath.
Ben Spencer remains captain for the 2024/25 season and will continue his leadership from scrum-half.
The fixture could also see a debut double from the bench for Francois van Wyk and Guy Pepper.
Johann van Graan’s selection remains consistent from that of the 2023/24 final, making just four changes to the side that started at Twickenham in June.
Across the front row, Beno Obano and Will Stuart are named at loosehead and tighthead respectively.
Tom Dunn will start at hooker in what will be his 14th season in Blue, Black and White.
Locks Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels rekindle their familiar partnership of last season in the second row.
Across the back row, Ted Hill starts on the blindside, with Reid starting on the openside for his 100th Bath Rugby appearance.
Alfie Barbeary completes the forwards pack in the Number 8 jersey.
Captain Spencer is partnered by Finn Russell at half back.
Across the backline, Will Butt comes into the starting line-up at inside centre, will Ollie Lawrence alongside him in the 13 jersey.
Down the wings, Will Muir and Joe Cokanasiga start at 11 and 14 respectively, with Tom de Glanville completing the XV.
In a 6-2 bench split, Niall Annett, Francois van Wyk and Archie Griffin line up as front row replacements, with van Wyk set to make his official debut in the hoops of Bath Rugby.
Jacques du Plessis, Guy Pepper and Jaco Coetzee complete the replacement forwards, with Pepper also set to make his debut.
Louis Schreuder and Orlando Bailey are named as replacements backs.
The game kicks off on Friday night at 19:45 in a clash between last year’s finalists.
TEAMS
Bath Rugby 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
