| Venue: Ashton Gate Date:Friday 26 November Kick-off:GMT 19.45 Protection: Live scores and updates on BBC Sport radio. |
As Northampton wins the go-to to Ashton Gate, Bristol makes three changes to their Premiership performance.
From the win towards Worcester, Chris Vui and Jake Kerr return to the Bears. Henry Purdy also returns.
Northampton will welcome eight new internationals, including Courtney Lawes from England within the again row and Dan Biggar from Wales at fly-half.
Lewis Ludlam, a former England captain, returns to the England camp to offer Alex Mitchell options as scrum-half.
Northampton may be looking for their first win at Ashton Gate in 2018 after 5 of the 6 matches between the perimeters were decided by a 1 score margin or less.
Pat Lam, Bristol director of rugby, instructed BBC Radio Bristol
“We put a lot of effort into our recreation during these two weeks at Premiership Rugby Cup, and it has been as hard as the gamers have risen to the sport.
“It’s been a pleasure to see how the younger gamers are progressing and that the scorelines reflect the execution more than the trouble.
“Going into this break, I believe that we are beginning to show the fruits of all the hard work we have done on the coaching park for our recreation, picking up 10 factors in back–to-back matches.
“We are excited about the next section. There are so many choices. There are many competition.”
Chris Boyd, Northampton director for rugby, instructed BBC Radio Northampton
“There are 10 internationals, plus six to seven guys who are getting back from injuries who didn’t feature within the Premiership Rugby Cup and who’ve entered competition for choice this week.
“It will be a totally, very completely different atmosphere down there than last week. When these guys return, you will notice a totally new feeling in the coaching discipline.
“There is a certain level of management that can bring a lot more maturity to the group than the passion shown by the young men.
“We have not enjoyed success towards Bristol in recent years but in all of the videogames up to now couple decades, we have had options to beat them. It will be a difficult project but we are trying to make it work.
Bristol: C Piutau; Fricker, O’Conor, Leiua, Purdy; Sheedy, Uren; Woolmore, Kerr, Lahiff, Joyce, Vui, Jeffries, Heenan (capt), Harding.
Replacements: Capon, Y Thomas. Kloska, Hawkins. D Thomas. Whiteley. Bedlow. Adeolokun.
Northampton: Furbank; Freeman, Proctor, Dingwall, Skosan; Biggar, Mitchell; Waller, Fish, Hill, Ribbans, Moon, Lawes, Ludlam (capt), Augustus.
Replacements: Matavesi, Iyogun, Carey, Ratuniyarawa, Wilkins, James, Hutchinson, Gillespie.
Referee:Karl Dickson (RFU).