Deal offers vital experience

Exciting young Bath Rugby winger Gabe Hamer-webb has joined Hartpury on a dual registration deal and goes straight into the Championship side’s starting line up this weekend.

Hamer-webb, who ran out for Bath in the 71-10 Premiership Rugby Cup defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm two weeks ago, starts on the wing for Hartpury away at Ampthill on Saturday.

At just 21, Hamer-webb has already achieved a lot in his short career having scored in the Champions Cup vs Ulster last season and represented England U20.

However with Will Muir, Ruaridh Mcconnochie and Semesa Rokoduguni ahead of him in the pecking order at the Rec, along with injured duo Anthony Watson and Joe Cokanasiga, he has been sent out to gain valuable competitive rugby.

The move is an intriguing one as Blue, Black and Whites director of rugby Stuart Hooper revealed he is looking to bring in an additional option on the wing to cover Watson’s season-long ACL injury while England international Cokanasiga is sidelined until the new year. He is joined in the Hartpury team by Bristol Bears backrower Mitch Eadie who will make his second start of the season for the Red & Blacks at Number 8.

Eadie, who played in the Premiership Cup for his parent club last weekend, creating a try with a typical strong surge, was man-of-the-match on his only previous Hartpury start, versus Coventry in September.

Barring his display for Bristol in the cup he has been sidelined in recent weeks with a back injury which has stopped him making more appearances.

Young Bath and England U20s number eight Nahum Merigan is amongst the replacements along with Bristol backrower James Dun who can return to playing after serving a suspension.

Gloucester Rugby tighthead prop Jack Stanley, who is yet to make an appearance for his Premiership club this season, starts in the front row for Hartpury.