George Skivington has named his team to travel Gloucester Rugby away to Leicester Tigers in Round 1 of the Gallagher Premiership 2020-21 season.
James Hanson makes a welcome return from injury and will face Val Rapava-Ruskin and Jack Stanley on the front row. Ed Slater and Matt Garvey form an experienced lock combo with Jordy Reid, Skipper, Lewis Ludlow and Ruan Ackermann making up the back row.
Joe Simpson and Danny Cipriani continue their successful half-back partnership and will provide a midfield combination of Mark Atkinson and Billy Twelvetrees with plenty of ball.
Jason Woodward, Charlie Sharples and Matt Banahan start in the last three and complete the start 15.
Jamie Gibson will make his debut at Cherry and White off the bench after joining the club from Northampton Saints earlier this month. He’s part of an exciting list of substitutes who will make all the difference when they hit the field.
Substitutes include Will Flinn, on loan from Hartpury RFC. Scrum Half Flinn moved to Hartpury from Coventry RFC that summer. The Exmouth RFC product previously played in the Premiership Rugby Cup for local rival Bath.
The game starts this Saturday at 3 p.m. and will be shown live on BT Sport Extra 2.
GLOUCESTER RUGBY
15. Jason Woodward
14. Charlie Sharples
13. Billy Twelvetrees
12. Mark Atkinson
11. Matt Banahan
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Joe Simpson
1. Val Rapava-Ruskin
2. James Hanson
3. Jack Stanley
4. Ed Slater
5. Matt Garvey
6. Jordy Reid
7. Lewis Ludlow ©
8. Ruan Ackermann
REPLACEMENT
16. Henry Walker
17. Fourie Horn
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Jamie Gibson
20. Freddie Clarke
21. Will Flinn
22. Lloyd Evans
23. Tom Seabrook
