BATH will kick off their new Aviva Premiership season with a trip to Sale Sharks on Saturday, September 6.

Mike Ford's side were beaten in Manchester and, more controversially, at home by the Sharks last season, although they did register an away win in the LV= Cup against Steve Diamond's men.

The trip will also see England prop Henry Thomas, who joined Bath this summer, returning to the club he left.

The first home clash for Bath sees newly-promoted London Welsh visit the Rec on September 13 before the following three fixtures see them facing last season's top three -  Leicester Tigers at home (September 20), champions Northampton Saints away (September 27) and Saracens back at the Rec on Friday, October 3.

All three of those matches will be televised by BT Sport, as will the visit to Adams Park to face Wasps on Sunday, October 12.

West Country rivals Gloucester visit the Rec in the final round of the regular season on Saturday, May 2015, the trip to Kingsholm being the weekend before Christmas on December 20, followed by Exeter Chiefs at the Rec on December 27 and Leicester away on January 3.

Bath's 2014-15 Aviva Premiership fixture list

Sat, Sep 6: Sale Sharks

Sat, Sep 13: LONDON WELSH

Sat, Sep 20: LEICESTER TIGERS

Sat, Sep 27: Northampton Saints

Fri, Oct 3: SARACENS

Sun, Oct 12: Wasps

Sat, Nov 15: NEWCASTLE FALCONS

Sat, Nov 22: London Irish

Sat, Nov 29: HARLEQUINS

Sat, Dec 20: Gloucester Rugby

Sat, Dec 27: EXETER CHIEFS

Sat, Jan 3: Leicester Tigers

Sat, Jan 10: WASPS

Sat, Feb 14: Saracens

Sat, Feb 21: NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Sat, Feb 28: Exeter Chiefs

Sat, Mar 7: SALE SHARKS

Sat, Mar 28: London Welsh

Sat, Apr 11: Newcastle Falcons

Sat, Apr 25: LONDON IRISH

Sat, May 9: Harlequins

Sat, May 16: GLOUCESTER RUGBY

Home fixtures in CAPS; Fixtures subject to change

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