MATT Garvey and Chris Cook will both make their 50th appearance for Bath in tomorrow’s Aviva Premiership season opener against Exeter Chiefs at the Rec (2pm).

Nick Auterac, Ross Batty and Henry Thomas make their sixth start together in the front row, while 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 George Ford, who enjoyed a successful half-back partnership throughout much of last season, are united again. Kyle Eastmond and Matt Banahan are in the midfield, with Anthony Watson and Semesa Rokoduguni on the wings. Tom Homer is named at full-back.

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.

The Rugby World Cup quarter-final between South Africa and Wales (4pm), featuring Bath players Francois Louw and Rhys Priestland, will be screened in the Swift Half and Clubhouse after the final whistle.

Bath: 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 (captain), 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.