Bristol trio return as Leicester also tweak starting XV
-
Published
After a blockbuster weekend of Prem derby games, this weekend brings one final round before the league takes a four-week pause for the autumn internationals.
Will Gloucester go into the break still top of the table? Will Harlequins and Newcastle back up their first wins of the season? Or will it be another round where all the home teams come out on top, like last weekend?
All the team news for the five games this weekend can be found here.
You can also listen to coverage of all of the matches on BBC DAB and FM local radio, via BBC Sounds or the BBC Sport website and app.
Bristol v Leicester (Friday, 19:45 GMT)
Third-placed Bristol have made three changes to their starting XV for the visit of second-placed Leicester as both sides aim to go into the break holding their strong positions in the table.
Gabriel Oghre and George Kloska return to the front row to link up with Ellis Genge, while Luka Ivanishvili rotates back in at number eight for a game where the Bears will be wearing letters on their shirts, rather than numbers, in a throwback to the club’s history to mark their ‘Legends Night’.
Leicester similarly have made a trio of changes, however by contrast all to their backline.
Tom Whiteley, Ollie Hassell-Collins and Orlando Bailey come in for Jack van Poortvliet, Gabriel Hamer-Webb and Will Wand who drop to the bench, while full-back Freddie Steward makes his 100th Prem start.
Bristol: Jordan; Rees-Zammit. Moroni, Williams, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Randall; Genge, Oghre, Kloska; Rubiolo, Batley, Luatua, Harding (c), Ivanishvili.
Replacements: Gwilliam, Woolmore, Chawatama, Caulfield, Owen, Marmion, Bates, Grondona.
Leicester: Steward; Radwan, Kata, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Searle, Whiteley; Van der Flier; Blamire, Heyes; Henderson, Chessum (c), Wainwright, Carnduff, Cracknell.
Replacements: Moli, Vunipola, Hurd, Stooke, Moro, Van Poortvliet, Wand, Hamer-Webb.
Exeter v Harlequins (Saturday, 15:00 GMT)
Team news to come.
Saracens v Newcastle (Saturday, 15:00 GMT)
Team news to come.
Bath v Sale (Saturday, 15:05 GMT)
Team news to come.
Northampton v Gloucester (Saturday, 17:30 GMT)
Team news to come.


