The first Premiership semi-final will kick off on Friday night at the Recreation Ground, as table toppers Bath host their West Country rivals Bristol.

Johan van Graan has named a star-studded Bath squad as they look to reach the final for the second year in a row.

Bath aim for the final for the second year in a row

Long-time front-row teammates Beno Obano, Will Stuart, and Tom Dunn will lead the way, with Quinn Roux and Charlie Ewels backing them up in the second-row.

Ted Hill is set to make his 50th appearance in the blue, black and white, as he settles in on the flanker alongside former Newcastle Falcons star, Guy Pepper. The rampaging Alfie Barbaery will sit in at number eight.

The all-star half-back partnership of Ben Spencer and Finn Russell will pull the strings from nine and ten, respectively, while Bath stalwarts Cameron Redpath and Max Ojomoh operate the midfield.

Big Joe Cokanasiga and Will Muir make up the formidable flyers on the wing, while Tom de Glanville marshals the backfield from full-back.

Bath’s 6-2 split on the bench leaves just the versatile Ciaran Donoghue and scrum half Tom Carr-Smith to cover the backfield replacements.

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Bristol will be pleased with the return of their bullish leader, Ellis Genge, as he lines up alongside Gabriel Oghre and George Kloska in the front-row. Giant Joe Batley and Bath-born James Dun will complete the front five.

The incredibly experienced Steven Luatua will also return to the starting team as he joins captain Fitz Harding on the flank, with Fijian Viliame Mata completing the scrum.

Like Bath, Bristol boast an ever-present half-back combination, with Harry Randall and AJ MacGinty set to dictate the Bears’ lines of attack.

Half centurion Benhard Janse van Rensburg will partner James Williams in the centres, while Gabriel Ibitoye, Kalaveti Ravouvou and Noah Heward completing the backline.

Bears are expected to give their replacement front-row, with 410 caps combined, early access to the match, as they attempt to counteract Bath’s dangerous bench.

The teams

Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Max Ojomoh, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Will Muir, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer (c), 8 Alfie Barbeary, 7 Guy Pepper, 6 Ted Hill, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Ciaran Donoghue, 23 Josh Bayliss

Bristol Bears: 15 Noah Heward, 14 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Fitz Harding (c), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Joe Batley, 4 James Dun, 3 George Kloska, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Pedro Rubiolo, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Jack Bates

Venue: Recreation Ground
Kick-off: 19:45 BST (18:45 GMT)
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce, Anthony Woodthorpe
TMO: Andrew Jackson

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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/bath-bomb-squad-ready-for-battle-while-ellis-genge-back-for-bristol-bears-in-premiership-semi-final