Bath v Leicester: Teams
Bath will do battle with traditional rivals Leicester Tigers on Friday in the first of the weekend's LV=Cup semi-finals.
Last Updated: 08/03/12 2:13pm
Bath have named an unchanged starting XV for the LV= Cup semi-final against Leicester on Friday.
Tom Biggs, who crossed twice in the victory over Worcester last weekend, starts on the wing with Matt Banahan on the opposite side.
Michael Claassens, who also crossed the whitewash twice against the Warriors, and Tom Heathcote start at scrum-half and fly-half respectively.
The only change comes on the bench where Anthony Perenise returns to the matchday squad.
Leicester welcome back captain Craig Newby after the back-rower was passed fit following a knee injury.
Newby has been involved in the first-team squad during the last month but makes his first start of the season on Friday.
Internationals Scott Hamilton and Horacio Agulla are included in the backline, while Alex Lewington and Andy Forsyth, who both scored tries in the vital cup win away to Harlequins in Round 3, are also given starting positions.
George Ford teams up with James Grindal in the half-back pairing with Toby Flood rested despite being released by England.
Rob Hawkins lines up at hooker against his former club, and Tom Youngs returns after injury to take a place among the replacements alongside international front-rowers Marcos Ayerza and Logoviii Mulipola, and England Elite Player Squad member Thomas Waldrom.
Bath: 15 Sam Vesty, 14 Matt Banahan, 13 Matt Carraro, 12 Olly Barkley, 11 Tom Biggs, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Simon Taylor, 7 Francois Louw (c), 6 Ben Skirving, 5 Ryan Caldwell, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Duncan Bell, 2 Lee Mears, 1 Charlie Beech.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Dixon, 17 David Flatman, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Guy Mercer, 20 Carl Fearns, 21 Chris Cook, 22 Olly Woodburn, 23 Jack Cuthbert.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Scott Hamilton, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Andy Forsyth, 12 Billy Twelvetreees, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 George Ford, 9 James Grindal, 8 Ben Pienaar, 7 Craig Newby (c), 6 Steve Mafi, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Calum Green, 3 Julian White, 2 Rob Hawkins, 1 Boris Stankovich.
Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Logoviii Mulipola, 19 Julian Salvi, 20 Thomas Waldrom, 21 Scott Steele, 22 Jeremy Staunton, 23 Matt Smith.
