Louis Rees-Zammit is back with Gloucester after scoring three tries in two games for Wales
Welsh shield Louis Rees-Zammit is among the Six Nations stars in Friday night’s club action and focus is moving back to the Premier League and PRO14.
Four Six Nations returners will appear at the Rec as Bath take on the Gloucester rivals in the Premier League basement battle.
Several PRO14 players will also be trying to catch the eye of their international coaches as the Dragons host Leinster and Ulster visiting Glasgow.
Bath vs Gloucester (7.45pm)
Bath make two changes to the side that started last week’s win over Sale, with Josh Bayliss moving to the second row and Wales forward Taulupe Faletau at blindside flanker.
Josh McNally is unavailable for selection after suffering a minor leg injury during training.
England center Jonathan Joseph returns to the squad on the bench, after being suspended for two weeks for violating coronavirus rules.
Scotland midfielder Chris Harris is back for Gloucester
Gloucester’s Louis Rees-Zammit, Chris Harris and Stephen Varney are all available from international duty, and Ed Slater will start at the lock alongside Alex Craig.
Willi Heinz and Billy Twelvetrees continue their partnership at half-back, with Lewis Ludlow resuming captain in the back row.
George Barton has been named in attendance as he prepares for his Boxing Day debut.
Six Nations Watch
Taulupe Faletau starts in Bath’s back row
Welsh fans are watching this West Country derby through their fingers.
Rees-Zammit has been one of the Six Nations stars this year, getting convincing efforts in both of Wales’ wins against Ireland and Scotland.
Faletau, meanwhile, managed to get through a mountain of work in both opening rounds, making 39 wrestles and 20 carries, but the disadvantage of not playing his club’s rugby in Wales is meaning he has to face for Bath while England enjoy next weekend. off.
1:29 James Haskell is part of a new ‘Progressive Rugby’ group that has written to World Rugby calling for a reform of the way the sport deals with head injuries.
It’s a similar case for Harris and Varney, who are back at Kingsholm after impressive tours for Scotland and Italy respectively.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac will be hoping both of his players come through without visiting England’s trip to Cardiff on February 27.
Pivac could also take a look at Bath midfielder Rhys Priestland, who won the last of his 50 Welsh captains in 2017 but will be back in next season’s election controversy when he goes to play. into the Cardiff Blues.
Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Semesa Rokodoguni, 13 Max Clark, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Will Muir, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Ben Spencer (c); 1 Juan Schoeman, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Josh Bayliss, 5 Mike Williams, 6 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Miles Reid, 8 Zach Mercer.
Transplants: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Tom Ellis, 20 Ethan Staddon, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 Jonathan Joseph.
Gloucester: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Chris Harris, 12. Tom Seabrook, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Billy Twelvetrees, 9 Willi Heinz; 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin, 2 Henry Walker, 3 Fraser Balmain, 4 Ed Slater, 5 Alex Craig, 6 Jordy Reid, 7 Lewis Ludlow (c), 8 Ruan Ackermann.
Transplants: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Alex Seville, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Freddie Clarke, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 George Barton, 23 Henry Trinder.
Dragons vs Leinster (7.35pm)
Jack Conan makes his 100th Leinster appearance
Former U20 Wales midfielder Aneurin Owen will make his Dragons debut as Dean Ryan makes five changes to the team that lost to Connacht on 5 February.
Owen plays Jack Dixon who was recalled in midfield with the right-hander Matthew Screech named in the back row.
Prop Lloyd Fairbrother is making his 100th PRO14 appearance.
There is also a midfield in the Leinster line as Jack Conan prepares to give a special look to the defending champions.
Ireland midfielder Ross Byrne will move to center-back to include his younger brother Harry at 10.
Michael Bent and Josh Murphy are named in the pack after recovering from injuries.
Six Nations Watch
Harry Byrne was called up by Ireland last weekend
Former internationals Brian O’Driscoll and Alan Quinlan are both huge supporters of Harry Byrne and have called for the 21-year-old to give Ireland a chance.
Byrne was called into the All-Ireland squad as cover for France’s loss last weekend, where Billy Burns and Ross Byrne were both strong but unbeaten at half-time when Johnny Sexton was not. present.
Another definitive show by Harry Byrne in Newport will not escape Andy Farrell’s attention as he tries to light a hard line, while Conan tries to make his way into a series conversation. -back of Ireland.
Competition in Wales is back three fiends but Jonah Holmes can give Pivac a good reminder of his talents.
Dragons: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Jonah Holmes, 13 Aneurin Owen, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Ashton Hewitt, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Rhodri Williams (c); 1 Brok Harris, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 Lloyd Fairbrother, 4 Joe Davies, 5 Ben Carter, 6 Matthew Screech, 7 Ben Fry, 8 Huw Taylor.
Transplants: 16 Ellis Shipp, 17 Greg Bateman, 18 Chris Coleman, 19 Joe Maksymiw, 20 Dan Baker, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Josh Lewis, 23 Connor Edwards.
Leinster: 15 Max O’Reilly, 14 Cian Kelleher, 13 Rory O’Loughlin, 12 Ross Byrne, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Luke McGrath (c); 1 Peter Dooley, 2 James Tracy, 3 Michael Bent, 4 Ross Molony, 5 Ryan Baird, 6 Josh Murphy, 7 Scott Penny, 8 Jack Conan.
Transplants: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Marcus Hanan, 18 Tom Clarkson, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Scott Fardy, 21 Rowan Osborne, 22 David Hawkshaw, 23 Jamie Osborne.
Glasgow vs Ulster (7.35pm)
Adam Hastings has recovered from a broken shoulder
Scotland international Adam Hastings returns from injury to make his Glasgow debut in four months.
Hastings, who shrugged his shoulder in the Six Nations win away to Wales last October, is one of 12 internationals named in the Warriors’ game day squad.
Fiji star Leone Nakarawa starts against his future employers after a year and is joined by Oli Kebble and Richie Gray in the pack following their release by Scotland .
Alan O’Connor will be the center of Ulster
Jordi Murphy captains Ulster for the first time while Alan O’Connor and Marty Moore feature the 100th and 50th time for the province.
John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey return after being released by Ireland while Rob Lyttle starts on the left wing after recovering from injuries.
Academy lock Cormac Izuchukwu could make his debut after being named on the bench.
Six Nations Watch
Ireland are keeping an eye on John Cooney despite some good performances for Ulster
Hastings News welcomes news for Scotland coach Gregor Townsend after Cameron Redpath was injured. The 24-year-old can cover Finn Russell as well as a playmaker’s second choice at 12.
With Zander Fagerson sidelined for the rest of the Six Nations, D’arcy Rae will be hoping to see a positive impact off the bench performing the same role for his country. Richie Gray and Oli Kebble will try to give Townsend a few election heads.
Ulster fans are still baffled by John Cooney ‘s lack of chances with Ireland, despite some outstanding performances for his continent.
Cooney was called into the All-Ireland squad last weekend after being rejected by Conor Murray. But with the uncapped Craig Casey providing cover for starting scrum half Jamison Gibson-Park, he puts Cooney in fourth place in Andy Farrell’s packing order.
Glasgow Heroes: 15 Huw Jones, 14 Ratu Tagive, 13 Robbie Fergusson, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Rufus McLean, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Jamie Dobie; 1 Oli Kebble, 2 Johnny Matthews, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 4 Richie Gray, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 6 Rob Harley, 7 Thomas Gordon, 8 Ryan Wilson (c).
Transplants: 16 Grant Stewart, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 D’arcy Rae, 19 James Scott, 20 TJ Ioane, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Ross Thompson, 23 Ollie Smith.
Ulster: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Rob Lyttle, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 John Cooney; 1 Eric O’Sullivan, 2 John Andrew, 3 Marty Moore, 4 Alan O’Connor, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 6 Nick Timoney, 7 Jordi Murphy (c), 8 Marcell Coetzee.
Transplants: 16 Adam McBurney, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Cormac Izuchukwu, 20 Greg Jones, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Stewart Moore, 23 Matt Faddes.