Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Bath add Pepper to mix on a three-year contract
FLANKER Guy Pepper has agreed to move to Bath Rugby from Newcastle Falcons on a three-year contract from the 20242025 campaign.
The 20-year-old came through the academy on Tyneside, and made the first of his 22 appearances for the Falcons in 2022, scoring three tries in his first seven games.
He has also represented England Under-20s and was called into the senior training squad during this year’s Six Nations.
“Guy is one of the most talented and exciting back rowers in the English game,” said Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan. “His hunger to improve and develop is evident and I believe he will be a big part of our team in the years to come.”
Pepper’s signing follows moves earlier this week for Leicester prop Francois van Wyk and Leinster lock Ross Molony.
Van Graan’s Blue, Black & Whites, meanwhile, head to Exeter for the second time in as many games this afternoon.
After losing narrowly in the Champions Cup, Bath will hope to exact revenge in the Premiership.
With Finn Russell injured, Orlando Bailey starts alongside skipper Ben Spencer at half-back, while Ollie Lawrence and Joe Cokanasiga are among the backs.
Bath Rugby: M Gallagher; J Cokanasiga, O Lawrence, M Ojomoh, W Muir; O Bailey, B Spencer (capt); B Obano, T Dunn, W Stuart, Q Roux, C Ewels, T Hill, S Underhill, A Barbeary. Replacements: H Faiva, T du Toit, A Griffin, J du Plessis, J Bayliss, L Schreuder, W Butt, M Reid.
George Skivington has named a young side – particularly in the backs – for Gloucester Rugby’s match at Saracens in the Premiership today.
After two tough knockout games in the European Challenge Cup, and another in the semi-finals of the competition in a fortnight, the Cherry & Whites chief has opted for some squad rotation this weekend.
Skivington said: “We’ve obviously got two Premiership games coming up (today and Exeter next week), and I think we’re honest about where we are in the Premiership, we’re not where we want to be, but we also know what’s attainable and what’s not.
“I think there’s an opportunity with these Premiership games to manage ourselves, get the rest, get the conditioning for some players, but also give the opportunity to some players who haven’t played a huge amount of rugby, get them in the Premiership, expose them and see what they’re about.”
While the pack has plenty of know-how, the backs are light on experience, featuring Caolan Englefield, Charlie Atkinson, Seb Atkinson, Louis Hillman-Cooper, Jake Morris, Josh Hathaway and George Barton.
Gloucester: G Barton; J Hathaway, L Hillman-Cooper, S Atkinson, J Morris; C Atkinson, C Englefield, M Vivas, S Socino, F Balmain, A Clark, F Thomas, A Tuisue, L Ludlow (capt), J Clement. Replacements: S Blake, H Elrington, C Knight, D Eite, R Nixon, C Chapman, J Reeves, I Jones.
Lock Josh Caulfield returns to the starting XV for Bristol Bears’ home clash with bottom-of-the-table Newcastle Falcons tomorrow.
The second row is back from suspension to line up alongside James Dun, with the injured Joe Batley (ribs) dropping out.
Caulfield is one of two changes to the side that beat Gloucester at Kingsholm at the end of last month, with Siva Naulago coming in on the wing in place of Noah Heward, who misses on selection out due to a hamstring injury.
Among the replacements, there are returns for Rich Lane and powerhouse centre Virimi Vakatawa as the Bears go in search of fifth successive league win.
There are no National League matches this weekend involving West clubs, while Hartpury do not have a game in the Championship as they were originally scheduled to play the now-defunct Jersey Reds.
SNOOKER: Reigning champion Luca Brecel begins the defence of his World Snooker Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield this morning.
Brecel faces David Gilbert, while the other opening game is Zhang Anda versus Jak Jones. Bristol’s Judd Trump is in action this afternoon.