England international fly-half Freddie Burns makes his first start for home-town club Bath, who make four changes for the visit of Worcester.

Inside centre Ben Tapuai also comes in to the backline, while Anthony Perenise and Elliott Stooke start in the pack.

Bottom club Warriors make two changes to the side beaten 25-3 at home by Saracens at Sixways last week.

Dean Hammond comes in on the wing for Perry Humphreys, while Sam Lewis replaces Alafoti Faosiliva at flanker.

New Warriors signing Jono Lance could make his debut from the bench, while centre Wynand Olivier is back in the 23 after recovering from a hamstring injury.

This is winless Worcester's first game since director of rugby Gary Gold, formerly the boss at Bath, announced that he is to leave at the end of the season to coach the USA national team.

Bath: Watson; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Tapuai, Brew; Burns, Cook; Obano, Walker, Perenise, Ewels (capt), Stooke, Mercer, Underhill, Faletau.

Replacements: Dunn, Auterac, Thomas, Phillips, Douglas, Fotuali'i, Lewis, Clark.

Worcester: Pennell; Adams, Willison, Te'o, Hammond; Shillcock, Arr; Bower, Singleton, Alo, O'Callaghan (capt), Spencer, Denton, Lewis, Van Velze.

Replacements: Taufete'e, Waller, Milasinovich, Scotland-Williamson, Faosiliva, Stringer, Lance, Olivier.

Scrum-half Ben Meehan and number eight Jake Schatz will make their full Premiership debuts for London Irish.

Greig Tonks also plays at inside centre and club record try-scorer Topsy Ojo replaces Napolioni Nalaga, who broke his arm against Newcastle last week.

Leicester Tigers give debuts to centre Gareth Owen and on-loan second-row forward Dan Tuohy.

Fly-half George Ford captains Tigers for the first time, with club skipper Tom Youngs among the replacements.

London Irish: Bell; Lewington, Tikoirotuma, Tonks, Ojo; Marshall, Meehan; Franks, Paice (capt), Du Plessis, van der Merwe, de Chaves, McNally, Cowan, Schatz.

Replacements: Gleave, Elrington, Hoskins, Paulo, Lomidze, Steele, Clews, Fowlie.

Leicester: Veainu; Malouf, Owen, Toomua May; G Ford (captain), Harrison; Bateman, McGuigan, Cole; Tuohy, Barrow; Kalamafoni, Evans, Mapapalangi.

Replacements: T Youngs, Genge, Cilliers, Wells, Hamilton, B Youngs J Ford, Tait.

Gloucester give a first competitive start to fly-half Owen Williams in place of Billy Burns as one of four changes for the visit of Northampton.

John Afoa, Tom Savage and Jacob Rowan also come in for Gareth Denman, Jeremy Thrush and Freddie Clarke respectively.

Scrum-half Cobus Reinach makes his first start for Saints with Nic Groom out with an ankle injury.

Piers Francis replaces centre Rob Horne (shoulder), while forwards Dylan Hartley and Sam Dickinson are recalled.

Gloucester: Woodward; Purdy, Trinder, Twelvetrees, Halaifonua; Williams, Heinz (capt); Ruskin, Hibbard, Afoa; Savage, Slater, Ludlow, Rowan, Ackermann.

Replacements: Matu'u, Hohneck, Denman, Thrush, Clarke, Vellacott, Burns, Hudson.

Northampton: Tuala; North, Burrell, Francis, Collins; Mallinder, Reinach; Waller, Hartley (capt), Brookes, Paterson, Ribbans, Gibson, Harrison, Dickinson.

Replacements: Haywood, van Wyk, Ford-Robinson, Ratuniyarawa, Lawes, Mitchell, Myler, Foden.

England and Lions winger Jack Nowell returns as Exeter make six changes.

Nowell replaces Phil Dollman as Lachie Turner moves to full-back, while Nic White returns at scrum-half and Carl Rimmer, Harry Williams, Sam Skinner and Sam Simmonds come into the pack.

Newcastle name big summer signing Toby Flood on the bench for the first time since his return from Toulouse for this season after a hamstring injury.

Prop Trevor Davison starts following his move from Blaydon in the summer.

Exeter: Turner; Nowell, Slade, Whitten, Woodburn; Steenson, White; Rimmer, Yeandle (capt), Williams, Lees, Hill, Skinner, Armand, Simmonds.

Replacements: Taione, Moon, Francis, Atkins, Salvi, Townsend, Hendrickson, Dollman.

Newcastle: Tait; Van der Merwe, Harris, Socino, Goneva; Willis, Takulua; Davison, S. Socino, Welsh, Green, Witty, M. Wilson, Welch (c), Latu.

Replacements: Cooper, Vickers, Ilnicki, Robinson, Hogg, Stuart, Flood, Matavesi