Brian Roche, the one-time Sunday's Well left-winger, will make a surprise English League Premiership debut for last season's runners-up Bath in their opening match tomorrow. The 23-year-old Roche last played for Munster three seasons ago but he was not included in the interprovincial champions' squad for this season and so, on his own initiative, he travelled to Bath. Impressive in a recent friendly against Newbury, when he scored a brace of tries, Roche has been granted a three-month trial at the Recreation Ground.

He has been pitched straight into their opening league game in light of an extensive injury list at the club, which includes their four recognised wingers - Simon Geoghegan (who recently underwent another operation on his arthritic toe), Adedayo Adebayo, (foot injury), Jon Sleightholme (groin strain) and new signing Ieuan Evans, who is getting married tomorrow and will be unavailable for a fortnight.