Spencer Returns as Bath Lose Ojomoh and Cokanasiga

Bath welcome back a crucial leader for their biggest match of the season, but they head to Bordeaux carrying fresh holes in the backline.

First-choice scrum-half Ben Spencer has recovered from injury and returns to Bath's starting line-up for Sunday's Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux-Begles. That shift alone sharpens Bath's control and composure at a decisive point in the campaign. Reports indicate the selection gives Bath a proven organizer at nine as they prepare for one of the toughest away tests available in European rugby.

Bath regain a key on-field general in Spencer, but the squad still arrives in France with clear selection pain.

Bath do not make the trip at full strength. The squad will be without Ojomoh and Cokanasiga, two missing options that reduce power and flexibility outside the half-backs. The available information does not detail the full extent of those absences, but the timing alone raises the pressure on the players who step into a high-speed, high-stakes contest.

The contrast defines Bath's challenge. Spencer's return should help shape tempo, territory, and decision-making, especially in an away semi-final where small moments often swing the result. Yet missing Ojomoh and Cokanasiga strips away proven presence and forces Bath to adjust against elite opposition. Sources suggest selection balance, rather than outright star power, could decide whether Bath stay in the fight deep into the game.

What happens next matters well beyond one team sheet. A semi-final in Bordeaux will test Bath's depth, discipline, and nerve, and Spencer's comeback now carries even more weight because of the players unavailable around him. If Bath absorb those losses and still deliver, they will have made a statement about their resilience as much as their talent.