What better way to kick off the penultimate weekend of fixtures than a derby?
Bristol, sixth in the table and realistically needing to win both remaining games to gatecrash the top four, return to Ashton Gate off the back of their 94-33 mauling by Northampton.
AJ MacGinty – one of those to sign a new deal with the Bears this week – has missed virtually the entire season after rupturing his Achilles in September but the USA international will make his long-awaited return at fly-half, alongside Harry Randall.
Argentina international Matias Moroni joins Benhard Janse van Rensburg in the midfield and Louis Rees-Zammit retains his place on the wing, having returned to the position for the first time since December last time out.
Bath can secure a play-off spot, and potentially a home semi-final, this weekend.
Kepueli Tuipulotu joins the backline, while Ethan Staddon and Sam Underhill also come into the forward line.
Ciaran Donoghue makes just a second league start of the season and there are further changes in the midfield with Max Ojomoh and Ollie Lawrence starting at 12 and 13.
Bristol: Heward; Ravouvou, Rees-Zammit, Moroni, van Rensburg; MacGinty, Randall; Genge, Thacker, Kloska; Dun, Batley, Owen, Harding, Grondona.
Replacements: Gwilliam, Woolmore, Lahiff, Halliwell, Taylor, Marmion, Jordan, Bates.
Bath: Carreras; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, Arundell; Donoghue, Spencer (c); Obana, Tuipulotu, du Toit; Hill, Ewels, Staddon, Underhill, Pepper.
Replacements: Frost, van Wyk, Sela, Richards, Bayliss, Carr-Smith, Redpath, Barbeary.
