Star All Blacks signing to make long-awaited Gloucester debut

Gloucester’s marquee All Blacks recruit Nepo Laulala will finally make his first appearance in Cherry and White when the club face Bath in Saturday’s Gallagher PREM derby at The Rec.

The 53-cap New Zealand prop has been sidelined since rupturing his Achilles last season but is now named to start at tighthead after four months of rehab at the club.

He joins Ciaran Knight and Seb Blake in the front row for his long-awaited debut.

Sophie Lloyd’s Medley Rocks Twickenham | WRWC 2025 Final | RPTV

Witness guitar virtuoso Sophie Lloyd set the stage alight at the Rugby World Cup 2025 Finals with an electrifying medley of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” and the Black Eyed Peas’ “Pump It”.
Filmed live at one of sport’s biggest nights, this special showcase captures the spirit of rugby and rock in perfect harmony.

CATCH UP NOW

Sophie Lloyd’s Medley Rocks Twickenham | WRWC 2025 Final | RPTV

Witness guitar virtuoso Sophie Lloyd set the stage alight at the Rugby World Cup 2025 Finals with an electrifying medley of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” and the Black Eyed Peas’ “Pump It”.
Filmed live at one of sport’s biggest nights, this special showcase captures the spirit of rugby and rock in perfect harmony.

CATCH UP NOW

Laulala was a mainstay of the All Blacks pack for nearly a decade, featuring at the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups.

The 6’1, 133kg prop came through Canterbury and the Crusaders system before stints with the Chiefs and Blues. His move to Europe began at Toulouse after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but injury curtailed his time in France before Gloucester secured his signature mid-season after Toulouse cut their losses.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Bath

38 - 17

Full-time

Gloucester

All Stats and Data

“Nepo is a 50-odd cap All Black, and that pretty much speaks for itself in terms of the calibre of player we’ve signed,” said head coach George Skivington at the time. “We moved quickly to get him here in the building and start his rehab, which gave us a jump on the other sides…”

Elsewhere, Skivington has made a total of three changes from the side that fell just short against Northampton.

Matias Alemanno comes in to partner Cam Jordan in the second row. Freddie Thomas, James Venter and Josh Basham form the back row.

The backline stays as is. Tomos Williams captains again at scrum-half with Ross Byrne outside him. Seb Atkinson and Will Joseph continue in midfield, while Ollie Thorley and Ben Loader patrol the wings. Charlie Atkinson holds onto the 15 shirt.

Gloucester once again go with a 6–2 split on the bench. Jack Innard, Archie McArthur, Afolabi Fasogbon, Hugh Bokenham, Jack Mann and Harry Taylor cover the forwards. Josiah Edwards-Giraud and Caolan Englefield offer the backline options.

Gloucester Rugby:15 Charlie Atkinson, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Will Joseph, 12 Seb Atkinson (vc), 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Tomos Williams (c); 1 Ciaran Knight, 2 Seb Blake, 3 Nepo Laulala, 4 Cam Jordan, 5 Matias Alemanno, 6 Freddie Thomas, 7 James Venter, 8 Josh Basham.

Replacements:16 Jack Innard, 17 Archie McArthur, 18 Afolabi Fasogbon, 19 Hugh Bokenham, 20 Jack Mann, 21 Harry Taylor, 22 Caolan Englefield, 23 Josiah Edwards-Giraud.