Bath rugby have been given a significant fitness boost ahead of their Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux Begles with captain Ben Spencer able to start at scrum half.
Spencer had been touch and go to feature as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained in the quarter-final win over Northampton, but has been cleared to play in his side’s first last-four tie for 20 years.
Backs Joe Cokanasiga and Max Ojomoh have been ruled out, though, with Wales international Louie Hennessey partnering Ollie Lawrence in midfield and Henry Arundell set for a head-to-head with fellow speedster Louis BIelle-Biarrey on the wing.
Thomas du Toit, used as an impact replacement in his last six games, is named to start on the tighthead as Bath bid to exploit the absence of Bordeaux Begles captain Jefferson Poirot, who is suspended.
The defending champions will also have to do without head coach Yannick Bru on the touchline as he serves a ban.
The winner of the clash will take on Leinster or Toulon in the Champions Cup final in Bilbao on Saturday 23 May.
Bath XV to face Bordeaux Begles (Sunday 3 May, 3pm BST): 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Thomas du Toit; 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Charlie Ewels; 6 Josh Bayliss, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Alfie Barbeary; 9 Ben Spencer (c), 10 Finn Russell; 11 Will Muir, 12 Ollie Lawrence, 13 Louie Hennessey, 14 Henry Arundell; 15 Santi Carreras.
Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Vilikesa Sela, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Sam Underhill; 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Tom de Glanville; 23 Miles Reid.
Bordeaux Begles XV: 1 Matis Perchaud, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 3 Carlu Sadie; 4 Boris Palu, 5 Adam Coleman; 6 Pierre Bochaton, 7 Cameron Woki, 8 Marko Gazzotti; 9 Maxime Lucu, 10 Matthieu Jaliber; 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 12 Yoram Moefana, 13 Damian Penaud, 14 Paolo Uberti; 15 Salesi Rayasi.
Replacements: 16 Gaetan Barlot, 17 Ugo Boniface, 18 Ben Tameifuna, 19 Cyril Cazeaux, 20 Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, 21 Temo Matiu; 22 Arthur Retiere, 23 Hugo Reus.
