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AJ MacGinty last played for Bristol on the opening day of the Prem Rugby season [Getty Images]
With two games to go, there is still plenty to play for across the board as the Prem Rugby season approaches its final stages.
At the top, leaders Northampton are already assured of a play-off spot, with five teams still harbouring hopes of filling the remaining three post-season berths.
In the race for the top eight and European rugby next term, three teams are fighting it out for two positions as we approach the final 160 minutes of the campaign.
You can listen to coverage of all of the matches on BBC DAB and FM local radio, via BBC Sounds or the BBC Sport website and app.
Bristol v Bath (Friday)
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Bath beat Bristol 40-15 in the reverse fixture earlier this Prem Rugby season [Getty Images]
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.
Kepu Tuipulotu joins the front row set up, while Ethan Staddon and Sam Underhill also come into the pack.
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.
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Newcastle v Sale (Sat)
Christian Wade is back in the Newcastle Red Bulls starting line-up for their final home game of the season.
The Prem's second-highest try-scorer of all time came off the bench against Bath a fortnight ago but is restored to a Red Bulls side as one of six changes.
Explosive number eight Amanaki Mafi is also promoted to start in a pack which has back row Ollie Leatherbarrow returning after suspension and prop Richard Palframan fit again.
Reuben Logan, the son of former Scotland wing Kenny, makes his first Sale Sharks start at number eight as they seek the win which could guarantee Champions Cup rugby next season if either Gloucester or Harlequins slip up.
Logan is joined in the back row by another 20-year-old, Seb Kelly, with Tom Curry ruled out with concussion with concussion symptoms suffered in England's training camp.
Scrum-half Gus Warr and winger Arron Reed also come into the side in place of Tom O'Flaherty and Newcastle-bound Raffi Quirke who are included on the bench.
Newcastle: E Grayson; Wade, Hearle, Arnold, H Obatoyinbo; Connon, Benítez Cruz; Connor Hancock, McGuigan (c), Palframan, Hodgson, Scott, Leatherbarrow, Christie, Mafi.
Replacements: Fletcher, Clark, McCallum, Cardall, Lockwood, Elliott, Healy, Hutchison.
Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, James, Ma'asi-White, Reed; Ford, Warr; Opoku-Fordjour, Longstaff, Harper, van Rhyn (c), Bamber, Dugdale, Kelly, Logan.
Replacements: Austin, McEachran, Bell, Andrews, Woodman, Quirke, Davies, O'Flaherty.
Leicester v Exeter (Sun)
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Hanro Liebenberg made his Leicester debut in September 2019 [Getty Images]
Hanro Liebenberg will make his 150th Leicester appearance as third-placed Tigers host fourth-placed Exeter in a key game in the Prem play-off race.
Leicester boss Geoff Parling makes two changes to the side that beat Sale as fly-half George Titcombe makes his first league start at fly-half in place of James O'Connor.
The other change sees another player make their first Prem start as George Pearson replaces the injured Freddie Steward at full-back.
England's Immanuel Feyi-Waboso returns to the Exeter starting line-up as they aim to try and secure a play-off place.
The winger was on the bench for the loss to Harlequins after missing the win over Bath with a head injury - he replaces Paul Brown-Bampoe in the only change in the backs.
Up front Greg Fisilau returns from a knee injury at number eight while Ethan Roots starts at flanker with Ross Vintcent injured and Christ Tshiunza dropping to the bench.
Leicester: Pearson; Radwan, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Titcombe, van Poortvliet; Smith, Blamire, Heyes, Martin, Chessum (capt), Liebenberg, Reffell, Moro
Replacements:Clare, van der Flier, Hurd, Henderson, Watson, Cracknell, Whiteley, Kata.
Exeter: Woodburn; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Ikitau, Ridl; Skinner, Varney; Sio, Norey, Iosefa-Scott, Jenkins (capt), Zambonin, Hooper, Roots, Fisilau
Replacements:Dweba, Burge, Tchumbadze, Tuima, Tshiunza, Cairns, Wimbush, Brown-Bampoe.
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