No Cipriani as Bath face the Falcons at the Rec

BATH Rugby are back at a packed out Rec today (3pm) when Newcastle Falcons come to town in Round Two of the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership

The Blue, Black and White kicked off the new campaign with a spirited 20-19 defeat away at Sale Sharks last weekend while Newcastle Falcons were beaten 20-26 at home by defending champions Harlequins.

Bath fans hoping to see Danny Cipriani make his Rec debut will be disappointed as the fly-half has not been included in the matchday 23 after suffering a concussion last weekend.Cipriani, who was making his competitive debut for the club, went off for a head injury assessment following a huge 49th-minute tackle from 6ft 1in, 17 stone powerhouse centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg who flew out of the line from an offside position which he was subsequently penalised for.

Cipriani was replaced by 20-yearold Orlando Bailey who is set to reprise that role again today.

Also among Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper’s three changes from last week’s starting line-up, is scrumhalf Ollie Fox who will make his first Premiership start with Ben Spencer injured while Juan Schoeman starts at loose-head prop for Beno Obano after scoring a try in last week’s narrow defeat by Sale.

Tighthead prop Johannes Jonker will make his home debut while fan favourite Semesa Rokoduguni will earn his 175th outing in a Bath jersey, nine years following his maiden appearance in the LV= Cup. Academy graduate Will Butt could earn his Premiership stripes from the bench.

Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards has made three changes after last weekend’s defeat by Harlequins.

There is a debut for Richard Palframan at tight-head prop. Fellow prop Adam Brocklebank also comes into the starting XV and there is a first Premiership start for Will HaydonWood at fly-half.

Teams

Bath: Bath Rugby: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Will Muir, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Ollie Fox; 1 Juan Schoeman, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Johannes Jonker, 4 Mike Williams, 5 Charlie Ewels ©, 6 Miles Reid, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Josh Bayliss Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Beno Obano, 18 D’Arcy Rae, 19 Tom Ellis, 20 Jaco Coetzee, 21 Max Green, 22 Will Butt, 23 Max Clark

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Tom Penny, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Ben Stevenson, 12 Pete Lucock, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Will Haydon-Wood, 9 Louis Schreuder; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Philip van der Walt, 7 Will Welch (captain), 8 Carl Fearns.

Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire, 17 Kyle Cooper, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Marco Fuser, 20 Gary Graham, 21 Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, 22 Brett Connon, 23 George Wacokecoke.