RUGBY: 250 up for Lee (From Wiltshire Times)

RUGBY: 250 up for Lee

1:45pm Friday 7th September 2012 in Sport

BATH hooker Lee Mears will make his 250th club appearance against London Wasps at the Rec tomorrow (2.15pm).

Mears, who has played all his club rugby with the West Country side, has 42 caps for England and toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2009. He retired from international rugby this summer.

In Bath's first home clash of the season, he will scrum down alongside Nathan Catt and David Wilson, with Stuart Hooper and Dominic Day continuing their second row partnership.

Simon Taylor returns from injury and replaces Francois Louw, who is on international duty with South Africa. Taylor comes in on the blindside, with Carl Fearns switching to openside and Ben Skirving starting at number eight.

Olly Barkley is named once more at fly-half, alongside half-back partner Michael Claassens.

There are no changes to the backline that faced Worcester last weekend, with Tom Biggs and Kyle Eastmond out wide on the wings, Matt Banahan and Dan Hipkiss combining in the centres and Nick Abendanon at fullback.

Head coach Gary Gold said; “To make 250 appearances for a club is a great achievement in professional rugby, and it’s a testament both to Lee’s ability and his attitude as a player that he has reached it, as well as appearing for his country and the Lions.

“While we were pleased with the eventual result at Sixways last weekend, we were very frustrated to not perform the way we know we can and have in pre-season.''

Wasps surrendered a 40-13 lead to lose 42-40 to champions Harlequins in a remarkable season-opener at Twickenham last week and Gold added: “Dai Young has done some excellent work at Wasps, and they will be looking to bounce straight back from the result against Quins.

"They outplayed the champions for large periods of the game, so we know they with challenge us all over the park, and it is a challenge we must rise to.”

Bath: 15. Nick Abendanon, 14. Kyle Eastmond, 13. Dan Hipkiss, 12. Matt Banahan, 11. Tom Biggs, 10. Olly Barkley, 9. Michael Claassens, 1. Nathan Catt, 2. Lee Mears, 3. David Wilson, 4. Stuart Hooper (c), 5. Dominic Day, 6. Simon Taylor, 7. Carl Fearns, 8. Ben Skirving.

Replacements: 16. Ross Batty, 17. Paul James, 18. Kane Palma-Newport, 19. Dave Attwood, 20. Josh Ovens, 21. Mark McMillan, 22. Ollie Devoto, 23. Jack Cuthbert.

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