Ben Spencer's Fitness in Doubt Ahead of Champions Cup Semi-Final Showdown
Bath captain Ben Spencer faces uncertainty for Sunday’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux Begles, raising concerns about the club’s depth at scrum-half. Spencer has not played since the quarter-final victory over Northampton on 10 April due to a shoulder injury and is rated "touch and go" for the crucial match in France. In addition to Spencer, Cameron Redpath, Max Ojomoh, and Joe Cokanasiga are also in doubt, intensifying the pressure on the scrum-half position. Compounding the issue, Bernard van der Linde recently underwent surgery for an ankle injury sustained during the narrow loss to Northampton. This situation may force Bath into the semi-final with Tom Carr-Smith as the senior scrum-half, supported by 18-year-old rookie Isaac Mears, who has yet to make his senior debut and only signed his first professional contract this month. Head coach Johann van Graan commented on the challenges: "Bernard had his operation on Monday morning, and we hope to get him back before the end of the season." "You’ve got to be adaptable; I thought Tom Carr-Smith was exceptional against Northampton." "Isaac Mears is the next nine in, and we’ve pulled him out of the England Students, so he’s in the group." Van Graan emphasized the team's preparation: "In a worst-case scenario, you might see someone play at nine who has never played at nine. There are many different things we could do. We consistently back our squad." The injured players will have until Friday’s training session to prove their fitness, with the team announcement set for the same day.
Source: The Independent Sport - 2026-04-29