Preview: Premiership, Round 11
Neither side had had the league season they would have been hoping for so far, with Gloucester sitting at eighth in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table, one position ahead of Friday's opponents Bath who have a game in hand.
Bath have not tasted victory since December 29 when they beat Worcester Warriors at the Rec.
But they have toppled Gloucester in each of their last five Premiership encounters, and haven't lost to the Cherry and Whites at home since February 2012.
And as far as Hibbard is concerned, recent form is irrelevant ahead of a West Country derby showdown.
He said: "You know derby games, they're never going to be a runaway game, and you know it's going to be a tight, hard-fought battle.
"With derbies, there's never a good time to play a team. It's on the night and you know what's coming.
"It means so much to the supporters, to get the bragging rights.
"Bath are a strong side. Obviously they've had their ups and downs with their form in the league as well, same as us.
"It's going to be a bruising encounter, they're a big team across the board, and even though they are missing a few boys they've got quality in depth.
"It's going to be one hell of a battle on Friday night."
Gloucester came agonisingly close to securing a victory against third-place Leicester TIgers, only to be denied by a Logovi'i Mulipola converted try in the 79th minute.
The result means Gloucester have won just once in their last four Aviva Premiership Rugby encounters.
Bath also suffered from a Saracens late show after the champions battled back from 13-0 down to post 19 unanswered points.
And loosehead prop Max Lahiff, a star performer in the scrum at Allianz Park, is relishing another battle with Gloucester's set-piece operators.
"Gloucester will be looking to right the wrongs against Leicester, they should have got the win," said Lahiff.
"We've got to get a run going, and there is no better time to do it than in a derby. It's not a game you have to get up for, that's for sure. I love a derby and so do all the boys here.
"We've got to try and take them on and put the crush on. They've got some really good operators, Nick Wood has been in the Premiership for such a long time and Jon Afoa is a great player too. They've got some massively talented guys."
We look at all the Round 11 action!
Friday, February 5
Bath v Gloucester
(Recreation Ground – Kick-off: 19.45; 19.45 GMT)
Bath have won their last five Premiership fixtures against Gloucester since the Cherry & Whites 16-10 win at Kingsholm in October 2012.
Gloucester have not been victorious at the Recreation Ground in the tournament since February 2012.
The teams:
Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Matt Banahan, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Dan Bowden, 9 Chris Cook, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Stuart Hooper (captain), 3 David Wilson, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Max Lahiff.
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Ellis, 21 Alafoti Faosiliva, 22 Niko Matawalu, 23 Max Clark.
Gloucester: 15 Billy Burns, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Bill Meakes, 12Billy Twelvetrees (captain), 11 Steve McColl, 10 James Hook, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Jacob Rowan, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 5 Mariano Galarza, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paddy McAllister.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Nick Wood, 18 Nicky Thomas, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Matt Kvesic, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Mark Atkinson, 23 Ross Moriarty.
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson, Simon McConnell
TMO: Sean Davey
Saturday, February 6
Harlequins v Northampton Saints
(Twickenham Stoop – Kick-off: 14.00; 14.00 GMT)
Northampton have won their last five fixtures against Harlequins in all tournaments since Quins 22-19 victory in the Premiership at Twickenham Stoop in May 2013.
Teams:
Harlequins: 15 Ross Chisholm, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 Harry Sloan, 11 Charlie Walker, 10 Nick Evans (captain), 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Mat Luamanu, 5 James Horwill, 4 George Merrick, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Rob Buchanan, 1 Mark Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Will Collier, 19 Charlie Matthews, 20 Dave Ward, 21 Calum Waters, 22 Ben Botica, 23 Tim Swiel
Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 Luther Burrell, 12 Harry Mallinder, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson (captain), 8 Sam Dickinson, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Christian Day, 4 James Craig, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.
Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Teimana Harrison, 21 Tom Kessell, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 James Wilson.
Referee: Gregory Garner
Assistant referees: Roger Baileff, Roy Maybank
Wasps v Newcastle Falcons
(Ricoh Arena – Kick-off: 14.00; 14.00 GMT)
Wasps are unbeaten in their last four encounters with Newcastle since Falcons 14-10 win at Adams Park in May 2012.
This is Newcastle's first visit to Ricoh Arena – their last visit to the city of Coventry being in November 1996 for a Division Two clash which Coventry RFC won 19-18 at the old Coundon Road.
Teams:
Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Brendan Macken, 12 James Downey, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Jimmy Gopperth (captain), 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Alex Rieder, 5 Kearnan Myall, 4 James Gaskell, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Edd Shervington, 1 Simon McIntyre.
Replacements: 16 Ashley Johnson, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Phil Swainston, 19 James Cannon, 20 George Smith, 21 Jamie Stevenson, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Siale Piutau.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Alex Tait, 13 Adam Powell, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Giovanbattista Venditti, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Michael Young, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Nili Latu, 6 Will Welch (captain), 5 Sean Robinson, 4 Mark Wilson, 3 Taione Vea, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Rob Vickers.
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Alex Rogers, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Richard Mayhew, Sonatane Takulua, 22 Craig Willis, 23 Marcus Watson.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Gareth Copsey, Andy Watson
TMO: Keith Lewis
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks
(Welford Road – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)
Leicester Tigers have won their last dozen contests in major competitions against Sale since Sharks' 15-12 victory at Edgeley Park in the Premiership in September 2009.
Sharks have been triumphant at Welford Road just once since 2003: 14-11 in the Premiership in February 2008.
Teams:
Leicester Tigers: 15 Tommy Bell, 14 Peter Betham, 13 Mathew Tait, 12 Matt Smith, 11 Telusa Veainu, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Sam Harrison, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Lachlan McCaffrey, 6 Mike Fitzgerald, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Dom Barrow, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Tom Youngs (captain), 1 Logovi’i Mulipola.
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Riccardo Brugnara, 18 Greg Bateman, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Jono Kitto, 22 Gonzalo Camacho, 23 Jack Roberts.
Sale Sharks: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Will Addison, 13 Sam James, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Nev Edwards, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Chris Cusiter, 8 Josh Beaumont (captain), 7 TJ Ioane, 6 Cameron Neild, 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 Vadim Cobilas, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Ross Harrison.
Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Eifion Lewis-Roberts, 18 Brian Mujati, 19 Jonathan Mills, 20 David Seymour, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Joe Ford, 23 Tom Arscott
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Assistant referees: Ross Campbell, Paul Burton
TMO: Trevor Fisher
Sunday, February 7
Exeter Chiefs v Saracens
(Sandy Park – Kick-off: 13.00; 13.00 GMT)
Saracens only defeat in their last 19 fixtures in all tournaments was 23-29 at Harlequins in the Premiership on January 9.
Saracens have gained at least one league point from every Premiership game they have played since they last visited Sandy Park in November 2014.
The Chiefs achieved the season's double over Saracens in the Premiership in 2014/15. Saracens record at Sandy Park is won three, lost two.
Teams:
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Sam Hill, 11 James Short, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Don Armand, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Ollie Atkins, 3 Moray Low, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Lewis Stevenson, 20 Kai Horstmann, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Max Bodilly.
Saracens: 15 Ben Ransom, 14 Mike Ellery, 13 Nick Tomkins, 12 Brad Barritt (captain), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Samu Vunisa, 7 Kelly Brown, 6 Jackson Wray, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Hayden Smith, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Richard Barrington.
Replacements: 16 Jared Saunders, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Jacques Burger, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Nils Mordt, 23 Nathan Earle.
Referee: Thomas Foley
Assistant referees: Jonathan Healy
TMO: David Grashoff
London Irish v Worcester Warriors
(Madejski Stadium – Kick-off: 13.00; 13.00 GMT)
London Irish's only reversal in their last eight fixtures with Warriors in all tournaments was 11-35 at Sixways in the Premiership in September 2012, whilst Worcester's only previous victory at the Madejski Stadium came in September 2005.
Teams:
London Irish: 15 Andrew Fenby, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Fergus Mulchrone, 11 Aseli Tikoirotuma, 10 Shane Geraghty, 9 Brendan McKibbin, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 Luke Narraway, 6 Jebb Sinclair, 5 Will Lloyd, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 David Paice, 1 Tom Court.
Replacements: 16 Gerard Ellis, 17 Tom Smallbone, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Ian Nagle, 20 Tom Guest, 21 Scott Steele, 22 Johnny Williams, 23 Theo Brophy-Clews.
Worcester Warriors: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Bryce Heem 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Tom Heathcote 9 Luke Baldwin, 8 GJ van Velze (captain), 7 Matt Cox, 6 Phil Dowson, 5 Tevita Cavubati, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Na'ama Leleimalefaga.
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Val Rapava Ruskin, 18 James Johnston, 19 Dan Sanderson, 20 Marco Mama, 21 Charlie Mulchrone, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Andy Symons.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Ian Tempest, Ashley Rowden
TMO: David Sainsbury
