Preview - Gloucester v Worcester
Gloucester coach Dean Ryan has kept faith with the XV that beat Worcester in the Guinness Premiership last weekend for Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final against the very same side.
It means that 19-year-old Jack Forster retains his place in the front row in place of Gary Powell because of a shoulder injury, although Gloucester will give Powell until the last minute to see if he is able to make the bench.
Gloucester claimed the points in a 27-16 win last weekend and Ryan was also able to name fullback Olly Morgan in the starting line-up despite the fact the England Under-21 star limped off last Saturday with a recurrence of an ankle injury.
Adam Eustace will start his second successive game at lock alongside Alex Brown, while Peter Buxton will skipper the side in a back row trio that will also contain Andy Hazell and James Forrester.
Patrice Collazo and Mefin Davies will complete the front row alongside Forster.
The backline is also unchanged which will provide another opportunity for the talents of Anthony Allen and Ryan Lamb to sparkle alongside James Simpson-Daniel, Mike Tindall, Peter Richards and Mark Foster – who scored twice last weekend.
"I think last weekend was a big confidence boost for everyone," said Ryan.
"The group of players we have worked post the Six Nations has found a bit of consistency and it was important to finally get a performance and a result off the back of that consistency.
"It simply reinforces what we are trying to achieve in the long-term but I am sure we will be under a good deal of scrutiny again this weekend against a very competitive side.
"We had problems in the scrummage last Saturday at times and those problems mean guys like James Forrester and Peter Richards have to problem solve in a different way which is great for their development.
"But I am sure this weekend will be a totally different challenge between Worcester’s great set-piece work and our movement and pace.
"I am sure it will be a tremendous occasion and a great atmosphere and we have to try and reproduce the good things we did last weekend."
Meanwhile, Worcester's team shows two changes from the one which lost the dress rehearsal last weekend.
Wing Mark Tucker is sacrificed for returning full-back Nicolas Le Roux, wit Thinus Delport moving to the wing.
Up front, Thomas Harding replaces Saiosi Vaili, who drops to the bench.
Form: Gloucester go into Saturday's match with a huge psychological advantage having recorded a solid 27-16 victory over Worcester at the weekend, a win that ended a two-month barren run for the Cherry and Whites in the Guinness Premiership. Worcester's current form has seen them claim just eight league points from their last seven outings, gaining just one victory in that period, albeit a big one – 37-8 at home over Wasps on March 10. The Warriors have never beaten Gloucester in four previous meetings in league and cup, although the two did play out a 15-all draw at Sixways on September 4, with Shane Drahm missing the chance to give Worcester the win with a failed penalty kick in the last minute.
Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 James Simpson-Daniel, 13 Mike Tindall, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Mark Foster, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Peter Richards, 8 James Forrester, 7 Andy Hazell, 6 Peter Buxton (c), 5 Alex Brown, 4 Adam Eustace, 3 Gary Powell, 2 Mefin Davies, 1 Patrice Collazo.
Replacements: 16 Rob Elloway, 17 Terry Sigley, 18 Jonathan Pendlebury, 19 Luke Narrway, 20 Haydn Thomas, 21 Ludovic Mercier, 22 James Bailey.
Worcester Warriors: 15 Nicolas Le Roux, 14 Thinus Delport, 13 Dale Rasmussen, 12 Thomas Lombard, 11 Gary Trueman, 10 Shane Drahm, 9 Matthew Powell, 8 Kai Horstmannn, 7 Thomas Harding, 6 Pat Sanderson (c), 5 Craig Gillies, 4 Phil Murphy, 3 Tievita Taumoepeau, 2 Chris Fortey, 1 Tony Windo.
Replacements: 16 Lee Fortey, 17 Michael Macdonald, 18 Ed O'Donoghue, 19 Saosi Vaili, 20 Andy Gomarsall, 21 James Brown, 22 Uche Oduoza.
Date: Saturday, April 22
Kick-off: 12:35 (11:35 GMT)
Venue: Kingsholm
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
Touch judges: Romain Poite (France), A N Other
Match commissioner: Russell Howells (Wales)
