Nick Auterac, Ross Batty and Henry Thomas make their sixth start together in the Blue, Black and White front row. Stuart Hooper captains the side in the second row, alongside Dave Attwood. Blindside Garvey and number eight Leroy Houston are joined by openside Alafoti Faosiliva, fresh from his World Cup exploits with Samoa.

Scrum-half Cook and fly-half Ford, who enjoyed a successful half-back partnership throughout much of last season, are united once again. Kyle Eastmond and Matt Banahan are in the midfield, with Watson and Semesa Rokoduguni making up a lethal wing combination. Tom Homer is named at fullback.

New recruit Niko Matawalu, one of a number of returning World Cup players named in the squad, is in line to make his Premiership debut from the bench, along with backs Max Clark and Jeff Williams.

Those supporters wishing to watch the Rugby World Cup quarter-final between South Africa and Wales (k.o. 16.00), featuring Bath players Francois Louw and Rhys Priestland on either side, can do so in the Swift Half and Clubhouse after the final whistle at the Rec.

Bath Rugby team to face Exeter Chiefs

15 Tom Homer
14 Semesa Rokoduguni
13 Matt Banahan
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Anthony Watson
10 George Ford
9 Chris Cook
1 Nick Auterac
2 Ross Batty
3 Henry Thomas
4 Stuart Hooper (c)
5 Dave Attwood
6 Matt Garvey
7 Alafoti Faosiliva
8 Leroy Houston

Replacements

16 Rob Webber
17 Max Lahiff
18 David Wilson
19 Sam Burgess
20 Guy Mercer
21 Niko Matawalu
22 Max Clark
23 Jeff Williams

Milestones for Garvey and Cook in season opener

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