Bath without injured Russell for semi-final

Bath remains without fly-half Finn Russell for their Prem semi-final against Exeter, as the Scotland international continues to suffer from a calf injury.

Russell has missed Bath’s past two games with the injury and for the second week running, Santiago Carreras replaces him in the starting line-up for Saturday’s home knockout game.

Exeter makes just one change from the side that beat Saracens 32-12 last week to secure third place in the Prem.

Greg Fisilau returns at number eight after recovering from a facial injury and replaces Ethan Roots, who is going through his return to play protocols following a head knock last week.

Following Bath’s win against Leicester last weekend to secure second place in the Prem table, head of rugby Johann van Graan said playmaker Russell was in a “great place” but “was not perfect”.

However, Russell misses out on the entire matchday squad again, with Argentine international Carreras set to make his fourth start at 10 for Bath as part of an unchanged back line, having more regularly been deployed at full-back since signing last summer.

Hooker Tom Dunn returns to the starting line-up in one of just two changes for the defending champions, having missed the past two games following his red card against Newcastle Red Bulls.

Quinn Roux also comes into the second row, with Kepu Tuipulotu and Ted Hill dropping to the bench and scrum-half Benhard van der Linde also coming into the matchday 23.

The Chiefs are still without England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who is likely to miss the rest of the domestic season after surgery on a facial injury.

It means wingers Paul Brown-Bampoe and Campbell Ridl keep their spots with experienced former Bath player Olly Woodburn at full-back.

Australia centre Len Ikitau continues his impressive partnership with in-form England star Henry Slade – defeat for Exeter would end Ikitau’s time at the Devon club, as he will return to Australia ahead of the World Cup.

Bath are seeking to reach a third consecutive Prem final under Van Graan, having spent every week of the past three seasons inside the play-off places.

The South African credited the attitude of his players, who he said “never stopped trying to improve”.

“That is exactly what I wanted when I came in four years ago,” he told BBC Radio Bristol.

“We have a group that continually wants to get better and that is what pleases me the most.”

Bath were however comfortably beaten 35-12 by the Chiefs just five weeks ago when the two sides met in the league at Sandy Park – Exeter’s first win over Bath since December 2022.

Away semi-final ‘unique’ for Exeter boss Baxter

For Exeter the game represents a return to the play-offs for the first time since 2021.

But the fixture at the Rec will be the first-ever away Prem play-off game for the club, as they finished either first or second in the table in each season from 2016 to 2021 while the Chiefs made six consecutive Twickenham finals.

“For me it’s a little bit unique,” Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter told BBC Radio Devon.

“We’ve been in plenty of semi-finals, but never been away from home, so it’s going to be another interesting challenge for us.

“When you look at where the club probably needs to build to, it’s probably one of the things we need to try and tick off because we haven’t done one yet.

“Those are the things that down the line you want to have achieved as a club, and this gives us the opportunity to do that.”

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, Arundell; Spencer (c), Carreras; Obano, Dunn, Du Toit; Roux, Ewels, Bayliss, Underhill, Barbeary.

Replacements: Tuipulotu, Van Wyk, Sela, Molony, Hill, Van der Linde, Redpath, Reid.

Exeter: Woodburn; Brown-Bampoe, Slade, Ikitau, Ridl; Skinner, Varney; Sio, Norey, Iosefa-Scott, Jenkins (capt), Zambonin, Hoope, Tshiunza, Fisilau.

Replacements: Dweba, Burger, Tchumbadze, Tuima, Vintcent, Cairns, Wimbush, Hammersley.

Referee: Christophe Ridley