Rekeiti Ma’asi-White returns for Sale Sharks trip to Bristol Bears - Gallagher PREM team news ahead of busy weekend

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The Gallagher PREM is back with another weekend of mouthwatering games, which will all be live on TNT Sports and discovery+. The action starts with Bristol Bears against Sale Sharks, with a host of international players back for the home side. Meanwhile, Hartpury RFC's Will Crane will start at hooker for Gloucester amid an injury crisis as they face Newcastle Red Bulls.

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Gloucester Rugby have been forced into an emergency loan to cover them at hooker ahead of their Gallagher PREM meeting with Newcastle Red Bulls at Kingston Park on Friday.

Hartpury RFC's Will Crane has joined the club on loan to provide cover in the pack during an injury crisis.

Newcastle may see this as a chance to exploit a weakness in their opponent’s line-up and get their first win of the season in the match, which will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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Newcastle are bottom of the league table with eight losses from eight matches, while Gloucester are second bottom, with just one win to their name.

Christian Wade will make his first appearance for Newcastle, with the winger set to face his former side. He is just nine tries shy of the division's scoring record.

Also on Friday, Argentina duo Santiago Grondona and Pedro Rubiolo Benhard are back for Bristol, with Janse van Rensburg and Gabriel Oghre also returning for the game against Sale Sharks.

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For Sale, Sam Dugdale and Rekeiti Ma’asi-White return after their recent fitness problems.

Bristol have six wins from eight and are currently in fourth place, while Sale sit seventh after three wins and five defeats.

Ahead of all the live coverage on TNT Sports and discovery+ this weekend, check out all the announced team line-ups below.

Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks line-ups

Bristol Bears: 15. Louis Rees-Zammit, 14. Aidan Boshoff, 13. Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12. James Williams, 11. Kalaveti Ravouvou, 10. Tom Jordan, 9. Harry Randall; 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Gabriel Oghre, 3. Lovejoy Chawatama, 4. Pedro Rubiolo, 5. Joe Owen, 6. Santiago Grondona, 7. Fitz Harding (c), 8. Viliame Mata

Replacements: 16. Harry Thacker, 17. Max Lahiff, 18. George Kloska, 19. George Taylor, 20. Benjamin Grondona, 21. Kieran Marmion, 22. Sam Worsley, 23. Noah Heward

Sale Sharks: 15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11. Alex Wills, 10. George Ford, 9. Raffi Quirke; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. James Harper, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Ernst van Rhyn (c), 6. Jacques Vermeulen, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Tom Curry

Replacements: 16. Nathan Jibulu, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Jos Gilmore, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Marius Louw, 23. Gurshwin Wehr

Newcastle Red Bulls v Gloucester Rugby line-ups

Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Ethan Grayson, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simon Benitez Cruz; 1 Murray McCallum, 2 George McGuigan (c), 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Oscar Usher, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 6 Tom Gordon, 7 Tom Christie, 8 Ollie Leatherbarrow

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Connor Hancock, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Finn Baker, 20 Amanaki Mafi, 21 James Elliott, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Oli Spencer

Gloucester Rugby: 15 Charlie Atkinson, 14 Jack Cotgreave, 13 Will Knight, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Tomos Williams (c); 1 Val Rapava Ruskin, 2 Will Crane, 3 Afo Fasogbon, 4 Freddie Thomas. 5 Arthur Clark, 6 Deain Gwynne, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 8 Jack Clement

Replacements: 16 George Knowles, 17 Ciaran Knight, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Cam Jordan, 20 James Venter, 21 Mikey Austin, 22 George Barton, 23 Josh Hathaway

Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs line-ups

Reigning champions Bath Rugby have made seven changes to their line-up for their Gallagher PREM encounter against Exeter Chiefs at the Recreation Ground.

Italy international Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi is in line to make his debut, while Will Muir and Ollie Lawrence return from injury.

Beno Obano, Tom Dunn and Vilikesa Sela start in the front row, while debutant Opoku-Gyamfi will pair up with Ross Molony in the tight five.

Ted Hill and Guy Pepper are named on the flanks and Alfie Barbeary returns to the side to complete the starting forwards pack.

Ben Spencer and Finn Russell partner at half-back, Cameron Redpath starts at 12 and Ollie Lawrence, who is set to make his 50th Bath appearance, is in the side at 13.

Muir will start his first game of the season on the left wing, with Henry Arundell switching across to the right wing and Santi Carreras completing the XV at full back.

Meanwhile, Exeter Chiefs have named an unchanged team from the one that secured victory over Leicester Tigers at Sandy Park.

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Tighthead prop Bachuki Tchumbadze starts alongside Joseph Dweba and Scott Sio in the front row, while Dafydd Jenkins and Andrea Zamboni are at lock.

Tom Hooper, Ethan Roots and December PREM Player of the Month nominee Greg Fisilau, form a familiar back row while Stephen Varney starts at scrum-half with Harvey Skinner at fly-half.

Will Rigg and Henry Slade start at centre with Campbell Ridl, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Olly Woodburn making up the back three.

Bath Rugby: 15 Santi Carreras, 14 Henry Arundell, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Will Muir, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer (c); 8 Alfie Barbeary, 7 Guy Pepper, 6 Ted Hill, 5 Ross Molony, 4 Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano

Replacements: 16 Kepu Tuipulotu, 17 Scott Kirk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Louie Hennessey, 23 Arthur Green

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Olly Woodburn, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Campbell Ridl, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stephen Varney; 8 Greg Fisilau, 7 Ethan Roots, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 3 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Scott Sio

Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Jimmy Roots, 19 Rusi Tuima, 20 Kane James, 21 Charlie Chapman, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Dan John

Northampton Saints v Harlequins line-ups

League leaders Northampton Saints have named an unchanged back three, with George Hendy starting at full-back alongside wingers Edoardo Todaro and James Ramm.

Tommy Freeman, who tops the league’s try-scoring stats with eight in as many rounds, retains his position at outside centre and Fraser Dingwall returns as captain.

Furthermore, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith reprise their roles at scrum-half and fly-half respectively against Quins, while Italy loosehead Danilo Fischetti and Scotland tighthead Elliot Millar Mills start at prop. They will be joined in the front row by hooker Robbie Smith.

Lock duo Alex Coles and JJ van der Mescht come back into Northampton’s starting line-up as Josh Kemeny, Tom Pearson and Callum Chick make up the back row.

Harlequins travel to the East Midlands having made five changes, with scrum-half Lucas Friday set for his first league start alongside Marcus Smith.

Alex Dombrandt starts at No. 8, while George Turner makes his first PREM start at hooker alongside Will Hobson and Harry Williams. Guido Petti Pagadizabal partners Kieran Treadwell in the second row, with Chandler Cunningham-South and Jack Kenningham at flanker.

In the backs, Jarrod Evans, Luke Northmore and Cassius Cleaves start, with Rodrigo Isgro and Nick David named on the wing and at full-back respectively.

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Northampton Saints: 15 George Hendy, 14 Edoardo Todaro, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Fraser Dingwall (c), 11 James Ramm, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 8 Callum Chick, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Josh Kemeny, 5 JJ van der Mescht, 4 Alex Coles, 3 Elliot Millar Mills, 2 Robbie Smith, 1 Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Oliver Scola, 18 Cleopas Kundiona, 19 Ed Prowse, 20 Sam Graham, 21 Archie McParland, 22 Anthony Belleau, 23 Rory Hutchinson

Harlequins: 15. Nick David, 14. Rodrigo Isgro, 13. Luke Northmore, 12. Jarrod Evans, 11. Cassius Cleaves, 10. Marcus Smith, 9. Lucas Friday, 8. Alex Dombrandt (c), 7. Jack Kenningham, 6. Chandler Cunningham-South, 5. Kieran Treadwell, 4. Guido Petti Pagadizabal, 3. Harry Williams, 2. George Turner, 1. Will Hobson

Replacements: 16. Sam Riley, 17. Simon Kerrod, 18. Pedro Delgado, 19. Elliot Williams, 20. Joe Launchbury, 21. Zach Carr, 22. Will Porter, 23. Bryn Bradley

Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM and Premiership Women's Rugby on TNT Sports and discovery+

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