News

Preview: Gloucester v Wasps

October 03 2008

Joe Worsley will captain a Wasps side that shows fourteen changes as they head to Kingsholm to take on Gloucester in the EDF Energy Cup on Saturday.

Having lost to Bath in mid-week Director of Rugby Ian McGeechan has made wholesale changes, resting the likes of Riki Flutey, Josh Lewsey, Tom Palmer, Tom Rees, Paul Sackey and Phil Vickery, who have all featured in Wasps last two Guinness Premiership fixtures.

Following recovery from a groin strain, new signing Lachlan Mitchell is named at full-back making his first start for the club since his arrival from the Waratahs Academy in the summer.

He will be joined in the back division by Wasps Academy and England U20 wing Mark Odejobi. Dominic Waldouck maintains his place in the centre and is joined in the starting line up by Rob Hoadley.

England centre Mike Tindall will skipper Gloucester, and is the only surviving member of the back-line that started against Newcastle in the Guinness Premiership on Tuesday.

Tindall will line-up in the centre alongside Jack Adams, who will make his first senior start of the season in the number thirteen shirt.

Rory Lawson, a high-impact replacement against the Falcons, will start in a half-back combination alongside Ryan Lamb, while there are returns in the back three for Lesley Vainikolo, Mark Foster - who will make his first competitive start of the campaign - and Willie Walker at full-back.

"We have an avenue for people to come into the side and put their hand up for regular selection and that is key for us and the squad," said Head Coach Dean Ryan.

"But we are also in a situation in some positions that players simply have to play because of our injury situation."

Form: Gloucester's only reversal in their last five games in the EDF Energy Cup was 26-29 to Wasps in a pool game at Adams Park in last season's competition. Gloucester have never lost a home game in the EDF Energy Cup. Wasps have won seven of their last eight games played on opposition soil, but in the EDF Energy Cup the Londoners have not won on the road since a 30-26 victory at London Irish on 2 October 2005. Wasps reached the semi-finals last season where they perished at the hands of Leicester. Wasps have lost the last two games they have played against Gloucester and have not won at Kingsholm since a 37-32 triumph in the Premiership on 6 May 2006.

The Teams:

Gloucester: 15 Willie Walker, 14 Mark Foster, 13 Jack Adams, 12 Mike Tindall (c), 11 Lesley Vainikolo, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Alasdair Strokosch, 7 Andy Hazell, 6 Apo Satala, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Marco Bortolami, 3 Dave Young, 2 Olivier Azam, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.

Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Peter Buxton, 19 Adam Eustace, 20 Dave Lewis, 21 Henry Trinder, 22 Olly Morgan.

Wasps:15 Lachlan Mitchell, 14 Mark Odejobi, 13 Dominic Waldouck, 12 Rob Hoadley, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Jeremy Staunton, 9 Mark Robinson, 8 Joe Worsley (c), 7 Serge Betsen, 6 James Haskell, 5 Richard Birkett, 4 George Skivington, 3 Pat Barnard, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Tom French.

Replacements: 16 Raphaël Ibañez, 17 Michael Holford, 18 Damien Varley, 19 Simon Shaw, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Danny Cipriani, 22 Dan Leo.

Date: Saturday 4 October, 2008

Kick-off: 14:30 BST (13:30 GMT)

Venue: Kingsholm

Referee: Martin Fox (England)

Touch judges: Andrew Pearce (England) , Kevin Stewart (England)

Assessor: Bob Ockenden (England) , Graham Hughes (England)