Freddie Steward plays first game since shock Six Nations axing as team-mate returns after World Cup injury heartbreak

The 2023/24 Premiership campaign resumes on Friday with two matches on the schedule as Bristol Bears take on table-toppers Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers host Gloucester.

Bristol Bears v Northampton Saints

Yann Thomas will make his first league appearance of the season when the Bears kick off the Premiership Run-In with a mouth-watering Friday night clash against league leaders Northampton Saints at Ashton Gate.

The Bristolian loosehead, who made his long-awaited return in the friendly against Bedford Blues on March 1st, is named in the front row alongside another returnee, Gabriel Oghre at hooker.

In the back line, Noah Heward switches to full-back with Siva Naulago on the wing, with Harry Randall and AJ MacGinty continuing their half-back partnership alongside a midfield of James Williams and Benhard Janse van Rensburg.

Ellis Genge is back from Six Nations duty to take his spot among the replacements, with Max Malins back from injury to take the number 23 shirt.

Meanwhile, Archie McParland will make his first start in the Premiership when the league gets back underway this week.

The 19-year-old scrum-half has been flying high for England U20s throughout the Six Nations – scoring a debut try against Wales before helping England to the Championship title in Pau last weekend – and starts at Ashton Gate as Northampton begin the run-in.

England internationals Alex Coles and Fin Smith return to Saints’ starting line-up after featuring during the Six Nations, where 21-year-old Smith earned his maiden cap against Italy in the tournament opener. Fraser Dingwall is also set to make his Saints return from amongst the replacements, with Tommy Freeman and Alex Mitchell both given a week’s rest.

Club captain Lewis Ludlam leads the side against Bristol, with flanker Courtney Lawes and number eight Sam Graham joining him in the Saints’ back row.

Emmanuel Iyogun and Trevor Davison pack down in the front row for the third week running, while Sam Matavesi returns to start for Saints after spending last week with the Navy. And Saints name an all-international second row, with Coles joining Fiji’s Temo Mayanavanua in the engine room.

James Ramm and George Hendy will feature in their first Premiership outing in 2024 after making their injury returns against Sale Sharks last week, to start at wing and fullback respectively – while Ollie Sleightholme starts on Saints’ other wing to complete the starting line-up.

The teams:

Bristol: 15 Noah Heward, 14 Gabriel Ibitoye, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Siva Naulago, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Fitz Harding (c), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Joe Batley, 4 James Dun, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Yann Thomas
Replacements: 16 Fred Davies, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Joe Owen, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 23 Max Malins

Northampton: 15 George Hendy, 14 James Ramm, 13 Burger Odendaal, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Archie McParland, 8 Sam Graham, 7 Lewis Ludlam (c), 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Temo Mayanavanua, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 Sam Matavesi, 1 Emmanuel Iyogun
Replacements: 16 Curtis Langdon, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Tom Lockett, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Jake Garside, 22 Fraser Dingwall, 23 Tom Litchfield

Venue: Ashton Gate
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: John Meredith, Tom Foley
TMO: Rowan Kitt

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Leicester Tigers v Gloucester

Leicester Tigers have named their side for Friday’s Premiership clash at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

The return of scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet headlines Dan McKellar’s first selection of the league run, Van Poortvliet making his first appearance in a Tigers matchday 23 this season after missing the Rugby World Cup due to injury.

Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Freddie Steward and Tommy Reffell all start for the Tigers, with Ben Youngs partnering with Handré Pollard in the halves.

Tigers are also boosted by captain Julián Montoya, Jasper Wiese and Solomone Kata who were ineligible last week.

Leicester Tigers head coach Dan McKellar said: “It’s great to have the whole group back together.

“The international boys have worked hard to reintegrate themselves, and they’re ready to go, and we’re focused on delivering a performance in front of our home crowd.

“It’s fair to say we’re all really pleased for Jack (van Poortvliet) to see him back fit, healthy and wearing a Tigers jersey.”

Meanwhile, in the Gloucester front-row, Seb Blake comes in for George McGuigan, who was injured in last weekend’s Premiership Rugby Cup final victory over the Tigers.

McGuigan will be out of action for an extended period after suffering a hamstring injury in the 78th minute of the game.

Mayco Vivas makes a timely return from injury, to join Blake and Kirill Gotovtsev, who retains his spot at tighthead.

Former Leicester man Cam Jordan, who was Player of the Match in the final, partners Freddie Clarke in the boilerhouse again, with Ruan Ackermann, Zach Mercer and Jack Clement completing the pack.

Clement replaces Lewis Ludlow, who misses out with a minor foot injury, with Ackermann taking the captaincy in his place.

Italy’s Stephen Varney returns from a highly successful Six Nations to start at scrum-half, with Santi Carreras coming in at fly-half outside him.

The midfield remains the same as it was in the last outing, with Seb Atkinson, a try-scorer last Friday, linking up with Max Llewellyn again.

In the back three, youngster Josh Hathaway and the experienced Jonny May come into the side on the wings, with Lloyd Evans starting at full-back.

On the bench, there is a potential Gloucester debut in store for Adam McBurney, who has joined as short-term injury cover from Edinburgh.

He’s joined by Harry Elrington, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Arthur Clark, Freddie Thomas and Albert Tuisue to cover the forwards, with Charlie Chapman and Chris Harris in reserve for the backs.

The teams:

Leicester: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Josh Bassett, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Solomone Kata, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Harry Wells, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Julián Montoya, 1 James Cronin
Replacements: 16 Finn Theobald-Thomas, 17 James Whitcombe, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Kyle Hatherell, 20 Olly Cracknell, 21 Jack van Poortvliet, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Phil Cokanasiga

Gloucester: 15 Lloyd Evans, 14 Jonny May, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Josh Hathaway, 10 Santi Carreras, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Jack Clement, 6 Ruan Ackermann (c), 5 Cam Jordan, 4 Freddie Clarke, 3 Kirill Gotovtsev, 2 Seb Blake, 1 Mayco Vivas
Replacements: 16 Adam McBurney, 17 Harry Elrington, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Arthur Clark, 20 Freddie Thomas, 21 Albert Tuisue, 22 Charlie Chapman, 23 Chris Harri:s

Venue: Welford Road
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales, Jamie Leahy
TMO: David Rose

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