Bristol Bears will be taking on Ampthill in the round three of the Premiership Rugby Cup this Sunday at Ashton Gate. The team news has been announced, with Harry Rowson starting at outside centre, alongside Joe Jenkins in the midfield. Oscar Lennon and Sam Worsley will be the half-back pairing, while Benjamin Elizalde returns to start at fullback after his international duties with Argentina.
On the wings, Siva Naulago and Toby Fricker have been named for the cup fixture. The front row consists of Yann Thomas, Will Capon, and Lovejoy Chawatama, providing an experienced lineup. Ed Timpson will make his first start at openside, with Benjamin Grondona at number eight.
It is worth noting that Pat Lam has selected 14 current or former Academy players in the matchday 23, showing the team’s commitment to nurturing young talent. The replacements include Louie Trevett, Jimmy Halliwell, Ethan Surrey, Tomas Gwilliam, Toby Baker, and Aidan Boshoff.
The Bristol Bears lineup for the match against Ampthill is as follows:
– Benjamin Elizalde (15), Siva Naulago (14), Harry Rowson (13), Joe Jenkins (12), Toby Fricker (11)
– Sam Worsley (10), Oscar Lennon (9)
– Yann Thomas © (1), Will Capon (2), Lovejoy Chawatama (3), Kenzie Jenkins (4), Paddy Pearce (5), Aaron Tull (6), Ed Timpson (7), Benjamin Grondona (8)
The system players on the bench are: Tom Doughty (16), Louie Trevett (17), Jimmy Halliwell (18), Ethan Surrey (19), Tomas Gwilliam (20), Sam Edwards (21), Toby Baker (22), Aidan Boshoff (23).
Several players are unavailable for this match, including Ellis Genge, Sam Grahamslaw, Joe Batley, Josh Caulfield, Steele Barker, George Taylor, Santiago Grondona, Kofi Cripps, Viliame Mata, Harry Randall, Sam Wolstenholme, AJ MacGinty, James Williams, Noah Heward, and Deago Bailey. Max Malins is also unavailable for selection.
It will be interesting to see how the Bristol Bears perform in this cup fixture against Ampthill, with a mix of experienced players and promising talents in their lineup. The fans can expect an exciting match at Ashton Gate on Sunday.