Matavesi returns to take on the Tigers

STUART Hooper has made three changes for Bath Rugby’s Round 16 Gallagher Premiership match against Leicester Tigers tomorrow.

Josh Matavesi is back in the side at fly-half following a spell on the sidelines with injury and is joined in the backline by wing Will Muir who has scored three tries in his last two league games.

After missing the Challenge Cup quarter-final win over London Irish, Sam Underhill returns to the back row alongside Taulupe Faletau and Zach Mercer.

Ben Spencer continues at scrum-half and the centre partnership of Cameron Redpath and Jonathan Joseph also remains.

England international Anthony Watson and Joe Cokanasiga keep their places at full-back and wing respectively.

The front row of Beno Obano, Jack Walker and Will Stuart is consistent as is the second row pairing of Josh McNally and captain Charlie Ewels. With Matavesi’s inclusion, Senior Academy fly-half Orlando Bailey is the only new addition to the bench.

England scrum-half Ben Youngs will make only his second Premiership appearance of the season for Leicester. Young is partnered at half-back by former Bath player George Ford, while Dan Kelly and Matias Moroni are paired in midfield, with hooker Tom Youngs captaining the team.

■ Legendary former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain and coach John Dawes has died at the age of 80. Dawes won the first of his 22 Wales caps in 1964 and was captain six times, leading them to the Grand Slam in 1971.

He also captained the Lions on the 1971 tour of New Zealand, still the Lions’ only series win over the All Blacks. As coach of Wales, Dawes won four Five Nations titles including two Grand Slams, four triple crowns and was coach of the 1977 Lions in New Zealand.

The Lions tweeted yesterday: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Lion #487 John Dawes. Captain of the Lions on the 1971 Tour, the only Lions side to win a series in New Zealand, Dawes made 19 appearances for the Lions. A true legend of the game, John will be sorely missed.”