Ben Spencer is back where he belongs. Bath's first-choice scrum-half has shrugged off a shoulder injury to reclaim his starting spot for Sunday's Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux-Begles—a massive boost for the English champions as they head to the holders' home turf.
Spencer hasn't played since Bath's quarter-final win over Northampton on April 10, and his absence has been felt. With South African Bernard van der Linde sidelined after ankle surgery, the club had to call up teenager Isaac Mears to the senior squad just to have cover at number nine. Spencer's return stabilizes a key position at the perfect time.
But it's not all good news for Bath's backline. Center Max Ojomoh and wing Joe Cokanasiga have both failed to recover from knee and leg injuries, respectively—injuries head coach Johann van Graan had described as "touch and go" earlier in the week. With Cameron Redpath also out, Louie Hennessey moves from the wing to outside center, while Ollie Lawrence shifts inside to partner him. Will Muir keeps his place on the left wing, and Henry Arundell switches to the right, with Santi Carreras rounding out the back three.
Arundell will have his hands full. He's set to go head-to-head with Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who has been unstoppable this season—28 tries in 26 games for club and country, including four against England in the Six Nations finale. And then there's Damien Penaud, France's all-time leading try-scorer, now playing outside center for Bordeaux-Begles after spending his early career in midfield.
The fly-half duel alone is worth the price of admission: Matthieu Jalibert versus Finn Russell, two playmakers who can change a game in an instant. Up front, the front-row battle could decide the match. Bordeaux's first-choice loose-head, Jefferson Poirot, is suspended, which gives Bath's South Africa international Thomas du Toit a golden opportunity to pressure the less-experienced Matis Perchaud. Meanwhile, the hosts still have 23-stone-plus Ben Tameifuna anchoring their scrum.
As Bath prop Ben Obano put it: "Every team has weaknesses." The question is whether Bath can find Bordeaux's on Sunday—and survive the storm that's sure to come.