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Cipriani starts as Skivington welcomes return of fans as Gloucester Rugby take on Harlequins
Gloucester Rugby head coach George Skivington has welcomed the return of spectators for Monday’s Gallagher Premiership game against Harlequins.
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Up to 1,000 people will be allowed to attend the Kingsholm clash for the second crowd pilot match following Quins’ game against Bath at the Twickenham Stoop earlier this month.
The Premiership season restarted on August 14 following a five-month absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all fixtures apart from one so far being played behind closed doors.
Skivington said: “My experience of coming to Kingsholm is that they (fans) are pretty loud, if we get 10 in, 1,000 or 5,000 they will be loud, so we are looking forward to that!”
Skivington has made wholesale changes from the side beaten by Exeter four days ago.
Danny Cipriani is back at fly-half, while Louis Rees-Zammitt features in the full-back role and Ollie Thorley and Jonny May are on the wings.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge because obviously we are in a very similar slot in terms of league position,” Skivington added.
Both clubs’ play-off hopes have long disappeared, but they should secure qualification for next season’s Heineken Champions Cup as the regular league season nears its conclusion.
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Quins boss Paul Gustard has made eight changes after a midweek win against London Irish, with wing Chris Ashton set to make his 150th Premiership appearance if he features off the bench.
Gustard said: “We had a positive performance and strong result last time out against a talented and hungry London Irish side, and we are aware of the need to back up that performance on Monday.
“We travel to Gloucester determined to produce.”
GLOUCESTER RUGBY
15. Louis Rees-Zammit
14. Ollie Thorley
13. Chris Harris
12. Mark Atkinson
11. Jonny May
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Stephen Varney;
1. Val Rapava-Ruskin
2. Franco Marais
3. Jack Stanley
4. Ed Slater
5. Matt Garvey
6. Jack Clement
7. Lewis Ludlow ©
8. Jake Polledri
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REPLACEMENTS
16. Henry Walker
17. Corne Fourie
18. Fraser Balmain
19. Matias Alemanno
20. Jordy Reid
21. Joe Simpson
22. Lloyd Evans
23. Billy Twelvetrees
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments