Josh Caulfield captains youthful Bears side at Sale
Josh Caulfield captains a youthful Bristol Bears side for Friday night’s PREM Rugby Cup clash with Sale Sharks at Corpacq Stadium (7.45pm KO).
The Bristolian leads a squad featuring 13 current Academy players, including nine in the starting XV, as the Bears head to the North West for their third pool fixture of the competition.
Caulfield partners Academy lock George Taylor in the second row, with Paddy Pearce and Kenzie Jenkins joining debutant Totoa Auvaa in the back row.
Andrew Turner, Sol Moody and Sam Scott form the front row, while Max Pepper partners Sam Worsley at half-back.
Academy centre Victor Worsnip starts at inside centre alongside fellow Bristolian Jack Bates, with Academy wings Ollie Harris and Aidan Boshoff joining Tobi Wilson in an exciting back three.
Among the replacements are Caspar Reeves and Noah Williams, both members of last season’s NEXT Gen U18 title-winning side, with Reeves in line to make his senior Bears debut.
15. Tobi Wilson (4 apps), 14. Ollie Harris (7 apps), 13. Jack Bates (68 apps), 12. Victor Worsnip (6 apps), 11. Aidan Boshoff (18 apps), 10. Sam Worsley (40 apps), 9. Max Pepper (12 apps); 1. Andrew Turner (14 apps), 2. Sol Moody (3 apps), 3. Sam Scott (4 apps), 4. Josh Caulfield (c) (39 apps), 5. George Taylor (24 apps), 6. Paddy Pearce (20 apps), 7. Kenzie Jenkins (12 apps), 8. Totoa Auvaa (debut).
System players: 16. Bryn Gordon (debut), 17. Lovejoy Chawatama (31 apps), 18. Jimmy Halliwell (31 apps), 19. Noah Williams (1 app), 20. Ben Rogers (1 app), 21. Tom Maslen (debut), 22. Louie Sinclair (debut), 23. Caspar Reeves (debut).
Unavailable: Ellis Genge, George Kloska, Max Lahiff, Harry Thacker, Joe Batley, Pedro Rubiolo, Fitz Harding, Luka Ivanishvili, Ethan Staddon, Benjamin Grondona, Viliame Mata, Khalik Kareem, Harry Randall, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Max Clark, Matias Moroni, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Noah Heward, Tom Jordan, Louis Rees-Zammit, Josh Carrington.
English (US) ·