Finn Russell fires the ball into the sky and we are under way.

Jack Nowell spent 11 years at Exeter Chiefs, helping his boyhood club to two Premiership titles and a European Champions Cup in 2020.

The 31-year-old is relishing his return to English shores against Bath,

"Growing up, Bath were a side we could never beat at Exeter so they became a bit of a bogey team. I still remember the first time we beat them," said Nowell.

"The Rec is a tough place to play, especially with how Bath are playing at the moment.

"They are a good side and it will be a test for us. If you allow them to play the rugby they want to play the fans will get behind them.

"I'm certainly going to understand a lot more chat from the fans [than when playing in France].

"The stands are so close to the pitch so when there is a stoppage in play you can hear the conversations and I'm expecting a bit of chat."

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Chris Jones
BBC rugby union correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Bath's pack will be really tested with the likes of Uini Atonio, Will Skelton and Gregory Alldritt a formidable spine in La Rochelle's pack.

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Bath head coach Johann van Graan admits his side face a tough task against two-time Champions Cup winners La Rochelle, but says they will embrace the challenge.

The French side won the competition back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.

"It'll be a tough journey, but it's where we want to be. We want to measure ourselves against the best," he told BBC Points West.

"Our buzzword is 'excited' to go and play against La Rochelle. Whatever the result, we're going to give it a fair crack.

"This is a competition for the fans. Everybody gets excited about the Champions Cup - and because there's only four rounds now, there's not a lot of second chances. It's great to be involved.

"This is an opportunity to play on a Friday night under the lights at The Rec in the Champions Cup, so, wow, who wouldn't want to be involved."

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Ben Spencer would have been ideal for the conditions here.

He has really developed his game alongside Finn Russell. It is a real shame he is not here as he is one of, if not the one, who has helped lead Bath over the last few years.

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Former England wing Jack Nowell says he is loving life with La Rochelle after overcoming "heartbreaking" family resettlement issues.

Nowell impressed in his debut season with the top-flight French side after leaving boyhood club Exeter Chiefs in the summer of 2023, but the 31-year-old father-of-three says life off the field was initially difficult.

"Rugby is the easy bit," Nowell told BBC Rugby Union Weekly. "The boys made me feel very welcome, I learned the moves and started playing.

"The family side of it was more difficult, putting the kids into a French school.

"Them coming home and saying 'no one speaks to me', 'the teacher doesn't understand me', and 'I don't want to go to school'.

"It was heartbreaking at times.

"Everyone at the club was so supportive, telling me to ride it out for a few months and saying that something will switch before they start loving it, which is what has happened and it's been brilliant.

"The rugby was easy and I loved it straight away but now the family are happy it's really good."

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Chris Jones is joined by former England fly-half Paul Grayson.

Bath make one late change as Ben Spencer is replaced by Louis Schreuder, meaning Tom Carr-Smith comes onto the bench.

The only change that was originally announced was Cameron Redpath returning at outside centre.

Redpath comes in for England centre Ollie Lawrence, who drops out of the matchday 23 as Bath begin their European campaign against the two-time winners.

Bath, who won the competition in 1998, lead the Premiership after beating Exeter in their last game.

Scotland talisman Finn Russell will lead the attack from fly-half.

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Redpath, Butt, Muir; Russell, Schreuder; Du Toit, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Pepper, Reid.

Replacements: Annett, Van Wyk, Griffin, Molony, Bayliss, Carr-Smith, Ojomoh, Coetzee.

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Visitors La Rochelle have named a strong outfit, which includes former England and Exeter wing Jack Nowell, for their trip to the Rec.

France number eight Gregory Alldritt captains the side and Australia lock Will Skelton is named in the second row.

La Rochelle: Dulin; Nowell, Seuteni, Danty, Leyds; West, Kerr-Barlow; Wardi, Latu, Atonio, Lavault, Skelton, Jegou, Haddad, Alldritt (capt).

Replacements: Lespiaucq, Penverne, Colombe Reazel, Douglas, Botia, Berjon, Reus, Thomas.

The Investec Champions Cup remains a four-pool competition, which includes 24 teams.

The English Premiership, the French Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship have all provided eight teams each.

Clubs from the same league cannot play each other in the pool stages.

Each club will play two matches at home and two matches away in the pool stages, with the top four sides going through to the round of 16.

The teams finishing fifth in each pool will drop down into the Challenge Cup round of 16.

The final will be played at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 24 May 2025.

The Investec Champions Cup is back!

Europe's signature club competition offers an opportunity for the best to play the best.

Toulouse defeated Leinster in last season's final and will be one of the favourites to lift a record-extending seventh title.

La Rochelle won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 and face Premiership leaders Bath at the Rec tonight to kick off the competition.

On paper both sides should go deep in the competition.

What a cracker to kick things off!

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