TEAM NEWS Gloucester vs Exeter Chiefs starting XVs

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Last Updated on Friday, 15 April 2016 22:24

Published on Friday, 15 April 2016 07:31

Gloucester Rugby make four changes for tonight’s Premiership visit of high flying Exeter Chiefs (1945ko).

It's the penultimate Kingsholm game of the season for the Cherry and Whites who will be looking to bounce back after the disappointment of exiting the European Rugby Challenge Cup 23-21 at home to Newport Gwent Dragons.

Up front, Yann Thomas makes his first Premiership start of the season having made 12 appearances off the bench, while Jeremy Thrush and Ross Moriarty return in the second and back row respectively.

Billy Twelvetrees return in midfield with Henry Trinder moving to left wing in place of Steve McColl.

The Chiefs also bowed out of European action last weekend, suffering a heart-breaking last-gasp 25-24 Champions Cup quarter final defeat at Wasps but Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys is not expecting that defeat to affect the Devon based outfit.

Humphreys said: "They were magnificent last week and unlucky to lose. Throughout the year they've been consistent in their performances, which is reflected by their second place position in the Premiership.

"It's a huge test for us, a huge test of the players' character and their ability to bounce back. Many of the recent meetings between us have been one-score games, incredibly tight, very small margins.”

Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter makes one enforced change to last Saturday’s starting XV. Scottish international prop Moray Low (knee) is ruled out so Harry Williams is promoted from the bench. Carl Rimmer is added to the matchday 23.

Gloucester Rugby 15 Tom Marshall 14 Rob Cook 13 Billy Twelvetrees 12 Mark Atkinson 11 Henry Trinder; 10 James Hook 9 Greig Laidlaw (capt) 1 Yann Thomas 2 Richard Hibbard 3 John Afoa 4 Tom Savage 5 Jeremy Thrush 6 Ross Moriarty 7 Matt Kvesic 8 Ben Morgan

Ready on the bench 16 Darren Dawidiuk 17 Nick Wood 18 Paul Doran-Jones 19 Elliott Stooke 20 Gareth Evans 21 Willi Heinz 22 Ollie Thorley 23 Jacob Rowan

Exeter Chiefs 15 Lachlan Turner 14 Jack Nowell 13 Henry Slade 12 Ian Whitten 11 Olly Woodburn 10 Gareth Steenson (capt) 9 Will Chudley 1 Ben Moon 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie 3 Harry Williams 4 Mitch Lees 5 Geoff Parling 6 Don Armand 7 Julian Salvi 8 Thomas Waldrom

Ready on the bench 16 Jack Yeandle 17 Alec Hepburn 18 Carl Rimmer 19 Damian Welch 20 Dave Ewers 21 Dave Lewis 22 Michele Campagnaro 23 James Short

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