Scotland fly-half Finn Russell will start for Bath against Newcastle on Friday after recovering from a "significant" groin problem which has kept him out for the past five weeks.

The 31-year-old sustained the injury during Bath's Investec Champions Cup defeat by Exeter on 6 April.

Russell will start for Bath at number 10 alongside Ben Spencer at scrum-half when the team travels to bottom-of-the-league Falcons, for the first of their final two regular-season Premiership matches.

Bath are third in the table, one point behind Saracens in second and five points off leaders Northampton, as they aim to secure a top-four spot and place in the play-offs.

Russell's Scotland team-mate Cameron Redpath will also start in the centre for the first time since recovering from an ankle ligament injury.

Props Tom Dunn and Thomas du Toit also come into the front row, to complete four changes to Bath's starting XV from the defeat by Saracens in their last outing.