Prem Round 4 Preview: Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby

The Gallagher PREM table couldn’t be tighter as table-toppers Gloucester Rugby welcome fifth-placed Bath Rugby, with the two sides separated by just one point.

This West Country clash at Kingsholm kicks off Derby Weekend on Friday night and promises to have big implications at the top of the standings, with both teams looking to bounce back from league defeats last time out.

George Skivington’s outfit, fresh from their pulsating 36-36 draw with Union Bordeaux Bègles in the Investec Champions Cup, will be keen to get back to winning ways on the domestic front after Leicester Tigers ended their 100% start to the season two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Johann van Graan’s charges lost 71-48 at the hands of Northampton Saints in Round 3, and the 2025 Gallagher PREM champions will want to right that wrong at the first attempt.

Will Finn Russell get the chance to “Shush the Shed” again?

Or will Gloucester get one over on Bath in the league for the first time since 2022?

Only time will tell.

But if the Cherry & Whites are to overturn their recent record against Bath, they will have to do it without skipper Dewi Lake, who is unavailable through injury, with Seb Blake coming in at hooker.

Lake’s international teammate Jac Morgan will take the captaincy from the back row, while Lewis Ludlow is set for an appearance in his testimonial match as a replacement.

For Bath, Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi will line up for his first Gallagher PREM start of the season in the second row with Charlie Ewels, while Miles Reid returns to the fold at No 8.

Tyler Offiah and Louie Hennessey get their first starts of the campaign out on the wings, and captain Ben Spencer and Finn Russell will form the half-back partnership.

TV: Live on TNT Sports 1, UHD and HBO Max (KO 7.45pm)

Referee: Christophe Ridley

ARs: George Selwood and Jamie Parr

TMO: Peter Allan

TEAM NEWS

Gloucester Rugby: 15. George Barton, 14. Ollie Thorley, 13. Will Joseph, 12. Max Llewellyn, 11. Will Knight, 10. Charlie Atkinson, 9. Caolan Englefield, 1. Val Rapava Ruskin, 2. Seb Blake, 3. Ciaran Knight, 4. Jean Kleyn, 5. Arthur Clark, 6. Freddie Thomas, 7. Jac Morgan (C), 8. Jack Clement

Replacements: 16. Jack Innard, 17. Dian Bleuler, 18. Afo Fasogbon, 19. Will Trenholm, 20. Lewis Ludlow, 21. Dan Robson, 22. Max Knight, 23. Ben Redshaw

Bath Rugby: 15. Santi Carreras, 14. Louie Hennessey, 13. Ollie Lawrence, 12. Cameron Redpath, 11. Tyler Offiah, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ben Spencer (c), 1. Beno Obano, 2. Kepueli Tuipulotu, 3. Archie Griffin, 4. Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, 5. Charlie Ewels, 6. Josh Bayliss, 7. Guy Pepper, 8. Miles Reid

Replacements: 16. Dan Frost, 17. Scott Kirk, 18. Kieran Verden, 19. Ross Molony, 20. Ted Hill, 21. Tom Carr-Smith, 22. Ciaran Donoghue, 23. Arthur Green