Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Malins starts as Bears tackle Sale
ENGLAND international Max Malins is set to make his first Bristol appearance since 2021 when the Bears tackle Sale Sharks at Ashton Gate this afternoon.
Malins and Kyle Sinckler return from Rugby World Cup duty with the Red Rose to take their place in the starting XV for the visit of the Sharks in the fifth round of Gallagher Premiership fixtures, while there is also a debut for hooker Gabriel Oghre, who makes his comeback from injury in the front row of the scrum.
Fellow hooker Harry Thacker switches to openside flanker alongside skipper Fitz Harding and number eight Magnus Bradbury, while Josh Caulfield starts in the second row alongside Joe Batley.
Harry Randall comes back into the side at scrum-half, while in the back three Rich Lane shifts onto the wing with Malins lining up at full-back.
Bears director of rugby Pat Lam said: “It’s great to be back at Ashton Gate for what is a tough contest against Sale Sharks, who are always a difficult team to beat.
“We’ve prepared well on a short turnaround and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
For the Sharks, Luke CowanDickie is in line for his club debut in his first match for ten months.
Cowan-Dickie, 30, has been named on the replacements bench for the match in Bristol.
He will begin on the bench this afternoon as veteran Argentina hooker Agustin Creevy starts for the Sharks.
The England international, who missed the World Cup, last played in January before he suffered an ankle injury and then underwent neck surgery.
The former Exeter player was set to join French club Montpellier after the World Cup, but that move fell through and Sale signed him in July.
Neck surgery ruled him out of moving to France and also put him out of contention for making Steve Borthwick’s squad for the recent global tournament.
With Exeter, Cornwall-born Cowan-Dickie won both the Premiership and the Champions Cup, while he also played in all three Test matches for the British & Irish Lions against South Africa in 2021.
Elsewhere in the Sale line-up, England World Cup star George Ford lines up at ten, with former Bristol centre Sam Bedlow, below, outside him in the number 12 shirt.
Hooker Will Crane will skipper the Hartpury team that heads to Bedford Blues this afternoon.
The Red & Blacks are secondfrom-bottom of the early season table after losing both games so far, while Bedford have one win and one loss.
Hartpury:
Taunton Titans have a big game as they bid to get away from the bottom of National League One.
The third-from-bottom Somerset side visit fourth-from-bottom Bishop’s Stortford.
Elsewhere, Cinderford, who lie eighth in table and 13 points shy of leaders Rams despite having won just one match fewer so far this season, host Birmingham Moseley.
In National League Two West, there is a Bristol derby as secondplaced Clifton visit Old Reds, who are currently down in ninth.
Fifth-placed Dings Crusaders make the trip to Bournville, while Hornets, who lie 11th, play away to