Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Dunn set to go toe-to-toe with Tigers
and Sale), they’ll come here and we’re ready to go toe-to-toe.
“Home advantage is huge. The Rec is a special place to play. We’ve got the 16th man and I’m confident we’ve got what it takes to win this weekend.”
Johann van Graan makes eight changes in total to his Bath team from the XV that beat Saracens last weekend.
Dunn is joined in the front row by Beno Obano and Thomas du Toit, while Josh McNally gets his first start of the season alongside Charlie Ewels in the second row.
Fergus Lee-Warner, who it has now been officially confirmed will join the Waratahs when he heads back to Australia next month, takes the blindside spot, with Miles Reid switching to openside, and Alfie Barbeary, below, at eight.
Ben Spencer and Finn Russell keep their spots at half-back, with Will Muir and Joe Cokanasiga the wingers. Cameron Redpath is back at inside centre after a spell at 13 last week, partnered by Max Ojomoh on the outside. Full-back Matt Gallagher completes the XV.
Virimi Vakatawa has overcome the hamstring issue that saw him withdrawn from last week’s win at Northampton to line-up against visiting Harlequins this afternoon.
Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam has named an unchanged matchday 23 for the Gallagher Premiership round three clash at Ashton Gate.
While the Bears have started the campaign with two wins from two games – against Leicester and then Northampton – Quins got off the mark against Exeter last week after a last-gasp defeat away to Gloucester first up.
Summer signing Benhard Janse van Rensburg joins forces with Vakatawa in the midfield once again, with Callum Sheedy – who last weekend became the Bears’ all-time leading points scorer in the Premiership – continues at ten.
Lam said: “What I was most pleased with against Saints was that it was another good team performance. That’s what it takes to win games at this level.”
Bristol Bears: R Lane; N Heward, V Vakatawa, B Janse van Rensburg, G Ibitoye; C Sheedy, H Randall; J Woolmore, H Thacker, M Lahiff, J Dun, J Batley, F Harding (capt), D Thomas, M Bradbury. Reps: W Capon, S Grahamslaw, G Kloska, J Caulfield, J Heenan, K Marmion, J Williams, P O’Conor.
Hartpury host Ealing in the Championship today. Gloucester played Saracens last night.