It's team news day.
Bath Rugby take on Edinburgh Rugby at the Recreation Ground on Friday night to decide who finishes top of Pool 2 in the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup.
Both teams come into the weekend with two wins out of three so far, with Bath one point ahead of their Scottish rivals, thanks to a bonus point from their defeat out in Toulon before Christmas. Technically, no side in Pool 2 has qualified for the last 16 knockout round yet, leaving everything on the line on the final weekend of group stage games.
The winner on Friday will top the group and be rewarded with not just a better seeding for the last 16 knockout rounds, but a home tie in the next round, and in a quarter-final, should they get that far.
Team news is out at midday on Thursday.
The game kicks off 8pm UK time on Friday night and is being shown live on Premier Sports.
Follow all the build-up, team news, live play-by-play match updates, reaction, stats, analysis and highlights from the Recreation Ground with regular updates below...
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12:10 - Edinburgh Rugby team news headlines
- Wing Malelili Satala will make his Edinburgh Rugby debut
- Satala is one of six changes to the starting Edinburgh line-up from the team that beat Gloucester last week
- Scotland international Harry Paterson makes a timely return from injury to start at full-back in place of the rested Wes Goosen, while Piers O’Conor slots into the midfield for the injured Matt Currie (hamstring).
- In the pack, British & Irish hooker Ewan Ashman gets the nod over Harri Morris after his try-scoring performance last weekend.
- Explosive Scotland international Ben Muncaster (number 8) and Tom Dodd (blindside flanker) start in the back-row in place of the rested Magnus Bradbury and Liam McConnell.
- Scrum-half Ben Vellacott will captain the side in Bradbury’s absence.
12:04 - Edinburgh Rugby team news
Edinburgh Rugby: 15. Harry Paterson, 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Piers O'Conor, 12. James Lang, 11. Malelili Satala, 10. Ross Thompson, 9. Ben Vellacott, 1. James Whitcombe, 2. Ewan Ashman, 3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, 4. Callum Hunter-Hill, 5. Glen Young, 6. Tom Dodd, 7. Freddy Douglas, 8. Ben Muncaster
Replacements: 16. Harri Morris, 17. Mikey Jones, 18. Paul Hill, 19. Euan McVie, 20. Connor Boyle, 21. Charlie Shiel, 22. Ben Healy, 23. Jack Brown
12:00 - Bath Rugby team news headlines
- Thomas du Toit comes back into the starting line-up, packing down with Beno Obano and Tom Dunn.
- Quinn Roux and Ross Molony remain in the second row, seeing Guy Pepper coming into the starting XV from last week’s bench, and a return for Sam Underhill on the openside.
- Consecutive Player of the Match winner Alfie Barbeary completes the pack at Number 8.
- Ben Spencer and Finn Russell remain as half-backs with Spencer captaining from scrum-half.
- Ollie Lawrence also returns, pairing up in the centre with Max Ojomoh.
- Henry Arundell moves across to the left wing, bringing Joe Cokanasiga into the starting line-up on the right.
- Completing the XV, Tom de Glanville starts at full back.
- Dan Frost, Francois van Wyk and Archie Griffin will provide their power from this week’s bench, alongside Ted Hill and Miles Reid.
- Tom Carr-Smith, Santi Carreras and Cameron Redpath complete the replacement set-up.
12:00 - Bath Rugby team news
Bath Rugby: 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Ross Molony, 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 9 Ben Spencer ©, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Tom de Glanville
Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Santi Carreras, 23 Cameron Redpath
10:51John Evely
10:50John Evely
09:40 - Bath Rugby injury latest ahead of Edinburgh: Sam Underhill, Ollie Lawrence, Josh Bayliss, Charlie Ewels
Bath Rugby are set for a double selection boost ahead of Friday night’s Champions Cup clash with Edinburgh Rugby to decide who finishes top of Pool 2.
Bath currently sit at the summit of Pool 2 after wins against Munster, and away in Castres Olympique last weekend, but have just a one-point lead over Edinburgh, who come to the Rec this weekend. Finishing top would guarantee a home round of 16 - and quarter-final tie.
In his midweek press conference on Tuesday, Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan confirmed that England flanker Sam Underhill and centre Ollie Lawrence were both back in full training having missed the trip to Castre after picking up ‘knocks’ in the 33-26 last-minute victory over Exeter Chiefs a week before.
Van Graan said:
“Sam and Ollie have just finished their training session out there, so they are both available for selection. As I've said before, Ewan Richards and Charlie Ewels are still quite a bit away but nothing new to report.”
09:40 - This weekend's officials
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
Assistant Referees: Franco Rosella (Ita) and Luca Bisetto (Ita)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
09:40 - How things stand in the Pool 2 table
09:40 - Welcome
Hello and welcome.
Bath Rugby take on Edinburgh Rugby at the Recreation Ground on Friday night to in the fourth pool stage game of the 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup, with a chance to finish top of Pool 2 on the line.
Follow all the build-up, team news, live play-by-play match updates, reaction, stats, analysis and highlights from the Recreation Ground with regular updates right here.
Who else is excited?
