The Cherry and Whites steal a lineout and all of a sudden are just a handful of yards from the Bath try-line.

Chris Brooker then fails to roll away for the hosts and James Hook kicks the resulting penalty.

Image source, Getty Images

The fact this match has been somewhat scrappy shouldn't be overly surprising, as the reverse fixture at Kingsholm in October was exactly the same.

Bath won on that day and have their noses in front here.

What can acting Gloucester head coach Jonny Bell do about it?

Gloucester cough up a penalty in kicking range for the hosts.

They'd built pressure over the past few minutes, and John Afoa enters a ruck from the side.

Rhys Priestland hasn't been a regular for Bath this season and his kick isn't great, but it curls between the posts and we have our first points.

Max Lahiff
Bath prop on BBC Radio Bristol

There's not much to go on so far. Phase play has been disappointing.

Richard Hibbard has been in the thick of the action for the Cherry and Whites, with his long, blonde locks.

He seems to be the aggressor for the visitors in what has been a physical encounter.

Bath are certainly in the ascendancy at the scrum, which bodes well for them going forward.

Edgy. Tactical. Turgid. Take your pick, but there's not been too much to speak of thus far.

Gloucester now with ball in hand and Billy Burns attempts to inject some creatively with a kick forward.

It was a good option but the execution isn't there and Bath clear.

Max Lahiff
Bath prop on BBC Radio Bristol

A little bit of handbags there. But that was really good scrumming beforehand, from Nathan Catt.

We have some early handbags.

Fortunately it's diffused nice and early and the game restarts without too much incident.

Bath are enjoying their first spell of the game - winning a penalty at the scrum and now slowly making ground just inside the Gloucester half.

The first scrum of the match brings an inevitable delay to proceedings as it collapses.

It's fair to say the conditions are fairly agricultural at the Rec - prime for a good, old-fashioned derby.

It's been a bit stop-start.

James Hook wasn't even on the bench initially for Gloucester, so presumably his late call into the starting XV came as a bit of a surprise.

However he takes his first ball out of the air confidently, and it's the Cherry and Whites who are attempting to force things early on.

Image source, Getty Images

Matthew Carly's whistle gets things started at the Rec.

Bath take kick-off and we're off.

There's an audible murmur of excitement inside the stadium as the teams have their final dressing room cuddles and huddles before emerging.

The sides emerge from the tunnel and that murmur evolves into a much louder noise.

It's an overcast day in Bath, but the rugby is sure to brighten things up.

Image source, Getty Images

This type of picture has been a familiar sight when these sides have met in recent years, with Gloucester only winning one of the past 10 meetings with Bath, though that was in the corresponding fixture last season.

Do the Cherry and Whites have much hope at the Rec this afternoon? Could Bath compete if they were to make it into the play-offs?

Answers on a postcard - or to be more specific, just tweet us your thoughts using #bbcrugby

While we'll be doing our utmost to bring you all the colour and passion from the Rec, our radio colleagues are on hand to bring you some of the atmosphere.

BBC Radio Bristol have live commentary of the West Country derby - click the link at the top of the page to listen.

Image source, Getty Images

Gloucester have been forced into a late change as full-back Tom Marshall has failed a late fitness test - he has been replaced by James Hook.

The visitors, without Tom Denton, Gareth Evans, Callum Braley, Matt Scott, Andy Symons and Henry Purdy, make one further change as they look to strengthen their chances of a top-six finish.

Lock Mariano Galarza replaces Tom Savage for the Cherry and Whites, who are eighth, but could end the afternoon level on points with Harlequins in the battle for the final Champions Cup spot.

Gloucester: Hook; May, Trinder, Atkinson, Halaifonua; Burns, Heinz (capt); Hohneck, Hibbard, Afoa; Galarza, Thrush; Moriarty, Rowan, Morgan.

Replacements: Matu'u, McAllister, Knight, Savage, Ludlow, Laidlaw, Twelvetrees, Sharples.

Look, I don't really need to explain what a West Country derby means in terms of bragging rights... That's perfectly clear.

But both teams also have something on the line as far as the table is concerned.

Bath have only won one of their past five Premiership games and sit nine points behind fourth-placed Leicester, meaning they must win today to keep their slim hopes of finishing in the final play-off spot alive.

Talking of slim hopes, Gloucester are also up against it in their fight for sixth, which would see them qualify for the Champions Cup - anything but victory at the Rec would make the Cherry and Whites rank outsiders going into the final round of fixtures.

Image source, Getty Images

Bath give blindside flanker Matt Garvey his first start since January as they make eight changes.

Hooker Chris Brooker makes his first start for the top-four hopefuls who have 13 players unavailable, including winger Semesa Rokoduguni.

Bath: Homer; Watson, Clark, Tapuai, Brew; Priestland (co-capt), Fotuali'i; Catt, Brooker, Knight, Charteris, Stooke, Garvey, Louw (co-capt), Faletau.

Replacements: Batty, Obano, Palma-Newport, Attwood, Ellis, Cook, Ford, Fruean.

Image source, Rex Features

This afternoon sees the final game of the penultimate round of fixtures - so what has happened so far?

Yesterday's matches all went the way of the favourites, with Exeter registering a bonus-point win for the seventh game running at home to Northampton.

Saracens overcame a half-time deficit to collect maximum points against Bristol while Leicester recorded a routine victory over Sale to strengthen their hold on the final play-off place.

Friday night saw a shock as Harlequins kicked their way to a win against leaders Wasps, while Newcastle edged past second-bottom Worcester.