It is all change in the backrow this week at Bristol Bears with Pat Lam confirming he has two new players back in the selection mix but looks set to be without his captain Jake Heenan for the trip to Gloucester.
Joe Batley, who was signed as a lock that can also play blindside, comes into the mix this week having joined Bristol from Worcester Warriors last week after the club went into administration, were suspended from the Premiership, and wound up financially in the courts.
Sam Lewis, another former Worcester flanker who was signed by the Bears this summer, has also recovered from injury to add much needed additional options in the backrow with New Zealander Heenan suffering an ankle injury in the humbling 50-14 defeat to Exeter Chiefs on Friday night.