Guinness Premiership : Same again for Gloucester

Anthony Allen - fit for the semi final

Same again for Gloucester

16 May 2008, 12:07 pm

By Jonathan McConnell

Gloucester will field the same starting XV that beat Bath last Saturday when they face-off against Leicester in the Guinness Premiership semi-final on Sunday at Kingsholm (4.30pm).

Concerns over their injured trio of Mike Tindall, Anthony Allen and Akapusi Qera have eased and all three will feature against the reigning champions.

Tindall limped out of Saturday’s 8-6 west country derby win over Bath with an ankle injury, while Allen and Qera have both recovered from shoulder complaints in time to take their place in the side.

“In a defensive performance of last weekend’s quality and intensity there were always going to be question marks over certain individuals but we are obviously very pleased everyone has come through,” head coach Dean Ryan told www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk

“We tried to get most of our preparation and class room work done to give people enough time to recover in the early part of the week because we had some bumps and bruises.
“The play-offs are a brutal environment but we are learning to operate at a higher level and that is what we must remember. Leicester are an outstanding side because they have been in this situation many times before and it will be nothing new to them.
“But we are in a confident frame of mind given the form and results we have produced in the last few weeks and we must take that forward into Sunday.
“It is up to us to go and produce another performance and if we can do that then I am sure we can create a threat.”
Gloucester’s forwards are made up of loose-head prop Nick Wood, hooker Andy Titterrell and tight-head prop Carlos Nieto.
Marco Bortolami and Alex Brown will partner each other at lock for the sixth time in seven matches, while Alasdair Strokosch will wear number six, Qera – who has scored four tries in the last five matches – will wear seven and Gareth Delve eight.

In the backs, scrum-half Rory Lawson will partner Ryan Lamb at half-back. Anthony Allen and Mike Tindall will be the centre combination and James Simpson-Daniel, Lesley Vainikolo and Iain Balshaw the back three.

Gloucester will make one change from their 22-man squad that beat Bath and that is on the bench. Jack Forster comes into the squad in place of Scotland’s Alasdair Dickinson.

Forster’s last start was away to Sale Sharks in March and he will be joined by hooker Olivier Azam, lock Will James and number eight Luke Narraway.

In the backs, Ryan has gone for scrum-half Gareth Cooper, utility back Willie Walker and winger Mark Foster.

Gloucester: Iain Balshaw; James Simpson-Daniel, Mike Tindall, Anthony Allen, Lesley Vainikolo; Ryan Lamb, Rory Lawson; Nick Wood, Andy Titterrell, Carlos Nieto, Marco Bortolami (capt), Alex Brown, Alasdair Strokosch, Akapusi Qera, Gareth Delve. Reps: Olivier Azam, Jack Forster, Will James, Luke Narraway, Gareth Cooper, Willie Walker, Mark Foster.