Friday 4 November 2016 22:15, UK
All the team news ahead of Friday's Anglo-Welsh Cup fixtures, including Bath v Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks v Wasps.
Leicester name international trio Tom Croft, Tomas Leonardi and Pat Cilliers for their opening round fixture at the Recreation Ground.
Croft has recovered from a back injury to feature for the first time this season, while Argentina international Leonardi makes his Tigers debut at No8. South African prop Cilliers is among the replacements after recovering from a groin injury.
Matt Smith captains the side from centre while Freddie Burns comes into the starting line up at fly-half.
On the bench, Fred Tuilagi, son of former Tigers wing Freddie, is included and is set to become the eighth member of the family to represent the club.
For Bath, their starting XV will feature six new faces.
Alex Humfrey, Darren Atkins and Jack Wilson will all make their debuts for the club, with Beno Obano, Shaun Knight and Levi Douglas all named in the pack for their first starts
On the bench, hooker Gabriel Oghre, back-row Josh Bayliss and on-loan scrum-half Darren Allinson could all be handed debuts.
Dan Bowden and Aled Brew combine in the Bath midfield, while Guy Mercer captains the side from the flank.
Bath: 15 Darren Atkins, 14 Jeff Williams, 13 Aled Brew, 12 Dan Bowden, 11 Jack Wilson, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Will Homer, 1 Beno Obano, 2 Michael van Vuuren, 3 Shaun Knight, 4 Elliott Stooke, 5 Alex Humfrey, 6 Levi Douglas, 7 Guy Mercer, 8 Zach Mercer.
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Kane Palma-Newport, 19 Tom Ellis, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Darren Allinson, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Rory Jennings.
Leicester: 15 George Worth, 14 Tom Brady, 13 Matt Smith (c), 12 Jack Roberts, 11 George Catchpole, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Jono Kitto, 1 Greg Bateman, 2 Harry Thacker, 3 Fraser Balmain, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Joe Maksymiw, 6 Luke Hamilton, 7 Will Evans, 8 Tomas Leonardi.
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Riccardo Brugnara, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Tom Croft, 20 Fred Tuilagi, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Oli Bryant, 23 Charlie Thacker.
Worcester name new signing Michael Dowsett in their starting line-up to take on rivals Bristol on Friday.
The Australian-born scrum-half comes straight into the side following his signing from Mitre 10 cup outfit Southland earlier this week.
Chris Pennell captains the side from full-back with winger Josh Adams also named fresh from signing a first-team contract.
Academy hooker Jack Singleton partners the experienced Samoan pair of Na'ama Leleimalefaga and James Johnston in the front row while Dewald Potgieter features for the first time this campaign in the back-row.
In the replacements, Niall Annett could be set for his 50th club appearance
Bristol make 14 changes to the starting line-up that suffered defeat to Sale last weekend with only club stalwart David Lemi retaining his place.
Hooker Edd Shervington is included among the replacements for the first time since signing a short-term deal with the club.
Worcester: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Max Stelling, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Andy Short, 10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Michael Dowsett, 1 Na'ama Leleimalefaga, 2 Jack Singleton, 3 James Johnston, 4 Andrew Kitchener, 5 Charlie Hewitt, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 7 Huw Taylor, 8 Matt Cox.
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Ryan Bower, 18 Biyi Alo, 19 Justin Clegg, 20 Sam Ripper-Smith, 21 George de Cothi, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Afeafe Haisila Lokotui.
Bristol: 15 Jack Wallace, 14 Tom Varndell, 13 Gareth Maule, 12 James Newey, 11 David Lemi, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Rhodri Williams, 1 Soane Tonga'uiha, 2 Rob Hawkins, 3 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 4 Giorgi Nemsadze, 5 Ian Evans, 6 Nick Koster, 7 Olly Robinson, 8 Nick Fenton-Wells.
Replacements: 16 Edd Shervington, 17 Jack O'Connell, 18 James Hall, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Rayn Smid, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Elias Caven, 23 Luke Arscott.
League convert Josh Charnley is set to make his rugby union debut as he is named among Sale's replacements for their clash with Wasps.
Former Wigan Warriors winger Charnley is one of five debutants in the Sharks' 23, joining Curtis Langdon and Matt Rogerson on the replacements bench, with lock Lou Reed and flanker Ben Curry named in the starting line-up for the clash at the AJ Bell.
Mike Phillips returns to captain the Sharks while Tom Arscott is also named having been out injured since April.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young has named a mix of youth and experience for the trip.
Guy Thompson captains the side from number 8 with former Scotland international Nick De Luca and emerging Ireland centre Brendan Macken combining in an experienced midfield partnership.
Samoan international Alapati Leiua is named on the right wing as he continues his return to full match fitness following an ACL injury while fellow winger Guy Armitage is set to make his Wasps debut.
Sale: 15 Tom Arscott, 14 Nev Edwards, 13 Sam Bedlow, 12 Mark Jennings, 11 Charlie Ingall, 10 Sam James, 9 Mike Phillips, 1 Ross Harrison, 2 Cameron Neild, 3 Brian Mujati, 4 Andrei Ostrikov, 5 Lou Reed, 6 Ben Curry, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Laurence Pearce.
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 James Flynn, 18 Ciaran Parker, 19 George Nott, 20 Matt Rogerson, 21 James Mitchell, 22 Dan Mugford, 23 Josh Charnley.
Wasps: 15 Owain James, 14 Alapati Leiua, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Brendan Macken, 11 Guy Armitage, 10 Connor Eastgate, 9 Craig Hampson, 1 Tom Bristow, 2 Tom Cruse, 3 Phil Swainston, 4 Marcus Garratt, 5 Will Rowlands, 6 Jack Willis, 7 Alex Rieder, 8 Guy Thompson.
Replacements: 16 George Edgson, 17 Tom West, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ehize Ehizode, 20 Alistair Bone, 21 Will Porter, 22 Jacob Umaga, 23 Tom Howe.
