Team news: Bristol Bears Women vs Exeter Chiefs Women

The Bears take on the Chiefs live on the England Rugby Facebook and YouTube channels to see in the New Year as Allianz Premier 15s action returns.

Both teams played out an enthralling encounter in round 2, which saw the Bears escape from Sandy Park with all five points following a 22-24 victory.

The hosts will be buoyed by the return of two international stars to the forward pack as Sarah Bern starts at tighthead and Siwan Lillicrap returns to bolster the back row.

The backline remains largely unchanged from Bears’ emphatic victory over DMP prior to the Christmas break with the only coming on the wing as Lily Stoeger-Goddard replaces Courtney Keight.

Bristol Bears Women team in full:

15. Kayleigh Powell, 14. Lily Stoeger-Goddard, 13. Phoebe Murray, 12. Lucie Skuse, 11. Jasmine Joyce, 10. Elinor Snowsill, 9. Lucy Burgess; 1. Simi Pam, 2. Clara Nielson ©, 3. Sarah Bern, 4. Natalia John, 5. Hollie Cunningham, 6. Alisha Butchers, 7. Manon Johnes, 8. Siwan Lillicrap

Impact Players: 16. Alice Lockwood, 17. Megan Wynne, 18. Stef Evans, 19. Marlo Boyd, 20. Megan Barwick, 21. Serena Settembri, 22. Chelsea Jones, 23. Amy Coles

Watch Bristol Bears Women take on Exeter Chiefs Women live on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or the Allianz Premier 15s website. 

Coverage from Shaftesbury Park begins at 11:45am on Saturday.