Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Skivington is eyeing a packed house for derby
there, but we put all our energy in the wrong part of the game.”
Meanwhile, Gloucester head coach George Skivington is looking forward to the Kingsholm clash having not played a Premiership home fixture since the opening weekend of the campaign.
Skivington said: “It seems like ages since we had a home game, with a bit of a stop-start season, but I’m excited to see the place packed again.”
It will be a second derby in as many weeks for the Cherry & Whites, with Bath having been seen off last weekend.
“We looked a little bit rusty, as you’d expect with another week off the week before,” added Skivington. “I was really pleased with the way the lads battled through. It was physical and it was demanding.
“Bristol are a star-studded team and they have so many individuals that can do something special, you have to be aware of their threat.”
Gloucester Rugby: S Carreras; L Rees-Zammit, C Harris, G Kveseladze, J May; A Hastings, B Meehan; V Rapava-Ruskin, J Singleton, F Balmain, F Clarke, M Alemanno, J Reid, L Ludlow (capt), R Ackermann. Replacements: S Socino, H Elrington, C Knight, C Jordan, A Tuisue, S Varney, J Reeves, L Evans.
Bristol Bears: C Piutau; L Morahan, P O’Conor, S Bedlow, H Purdy; C Sheedy, T Whiteley; E Genge, W Capon, K Sinckler, J Batley, J Joyce (capt), C Vui, D Thomas, F Harding. Replacements: H Thacker, J Woolmore, M Lahiff, J Hawkins, S Lewis, A Uren, AJ MacGinty, J Bates.
Ruaridh McConnochie will make his first Gallagher Premiership start of the season when Bath Rugby visit Saracens this afternoon.
The wing comes in as one of four changes to the side that started the derby against Gloucester last time out.
Elsewhere, Josh Bayliss and Richard de Carpentier return to the back row and fly-half Orlando Bailey replaces the injured Piers Francis. His quad injury will keep him sidelined for a month.
The front five remains the same for the match in the capital. Tom Dunn continues as captain from hooker with Juan Schoeman and Will Stuart packing down either side.
Dave Attwood and Quinn Roux combine in the second row, while Miles Reid is at openside flanker.
The backline sees Louis Schreuder at scrum-half and new signing Ollie Lawrence is named outside Cameron Redpath in the midfield. Wing Joe Cokanasiga and full-back Matt Gallagher complete the XV.
Former Worcester man Fergus Lee-Warner could make his debut from the bench, while Tom CarrSmith and George Worboys are in line for Premiership debuts if they are brought on.
Bath Rugby: M Gallagher; J Cokanasiga, O Lawrence, C Redpath, R McConnochie; O Bailey, L Schreuder; J Schoeman, T Dunn (capt), W Stuart, D Attwood,
Q Roux, M Reid, R de Carpentier, J Bayliss,
Replacements: N Annett, A Cordwell, D Rae, W White, F Lee-Warner, T Carr-Smith, G Worboys, M Ojomoh.