West Country derby marks return of BUCS Super Rugby to University of Bath tonight
The University of Bath men’s 1st XV return to BUCS Super Rugby action tonight after a two-week break when they welcome defending champions Hartpury College to the Sports Training Village.
Last season’s West County derbies were hard-fought and entertaining affairs and tonight’s promises to be no different, with both teams in search of a much-needed win to reignite their campaigns.
Both currently sit in the bottom three having won just once this season, away to bottom club Nottingham Trent, and will be looking to start pushing up the table as the halfway point of the season approaches.
Centre Will Hughes and wing Levi Davis come into the starting XV for Bath, while prop Austin Hay returns to the front row. Chris Barry comes back in at openside flanker, with Mike Snook switching to blindside and Jack Davies moving back to number eight.
The match starts at 6.30pm and admission to spectators, as for all home matches, is free.
Tonight’s team
University of Bath: 15 Will Partington, 14 Finn Murphy, 13 Will Hughes, 12 Craig Duncan, 11 Levi Davis, 10 Will Flinn, 9 Luca Petrozzi; 1 Austin Hay, 2 Tom Doughty, 3 David da Costa, 4 Will Britton (c), 5 Scott Russell, 6 Mike Snook, 7 Chris Barry, 8 Jack Davies. Replacements: 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Arthur Cordwell, 18 Bradley Packham, 19 Derryn Jones, 20 Tom Bottoms, 21 Louis Mulholland, 22 Max Senior.
Hartpury College: 15 Victor Pisano, 14 Elias Caven, 13 Maliq Holden, 12 Dwayne Burrows, 11 Rhys Tudor, 10 Nick Carpenter, 9 Ben George; 1 Luke Boon, 2 Joe Mullis, 3 Alex Saville, 4 Seb Mummery, 5 Angus Southon, 6 Tom Pashley, 7 Max Clementson, 8 Tom Everard. Replacements: 16 Toby Hill, 17 Luke Stratford, 18 Tom Heard, 19 Harry Wilson, 20 Harry Holland, 21 Daniel Openshaw, 22 Robbie Faulkner.
Referee: Ben Wilde.
Assistant referees: Andy Wigley, Stuart Dillon.
