Gloucester v Sale: Teams
Nicky Robinson is back at fly-half as Gloucester end the regular Aviva Premiership campaign with a home game against Sale Sharks.
Last Updated: 06/05/11 1:41pm
Nicky Robinson is back at fly-half as Gloucester end the regular Aviva Premiership campaign with a home game against Sale Sharks.
Robinson was forced off during the recent win over Northampton with a dead leg and the only other change to the back-line that started at Saracens last time out sees Rory Lawson return to partner Robinson at half-back.
There are more tweaks to the pack, where only Scott Lawson and Alasdair Strokosch retain their place in the starting line-up, while Lesley Vainikolo returns to the matchday squad for the first time since injuring a shoulder at Leeds on January 30.
Gloucester enter the weekend in third and know that a single point will secure a play-off berth with a trip to either Leicester or Saracens looming.
Their last 16 games with Sale have been won by the home side, with the Sharks having not won at Kingsholm since August 2000, and although Sale beat Gloucester 36-31 at Edgeley Park last month, the hosts' head coach Bryan Redpath is eager to end the Aviva Premiership season unbeaten at home.
Disappointed
"It's huge for the players," he said. "We've said all season that we're going to try to make Kingsholm a really tough place to come to and compete against us and we've done that so far.
"We were frustrated by the game up there and they showed some great character and fighting qualities against us. We owe it to our fans to finish the season well. There will be a few disappointed boys not involved at the weekend for various reasons and the ones that take the pitch will want to do a job for them as well.
"We have everything to gain and Sale have nothing to lose. They're playing for pride and that makes them a dangerous animal."
The Sharks have made six changes to the side that lost 30-24 at home to Exeter Chiefs on Good Friday and executive director of sport Steve Diamond admitted the line-up gives some players a chance to bid farewell.
"A number of the guys stepping out at Gloucester are leaving, but I'm looking for a professional display," he said.
"For anyone going down to Kingsholm on a warm spring day - as it looks like it's going to be - if you play a competitive game, you get the respect and applause of what will be a sell-out crowd.
"If you go down with your tail between your legs, you will get a good hiding and no respect and that will bear on the mind of the players that are leaving."
Gloucester: 15 Tom Voyce, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Henry Trinder, 12 Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, 11 James Simpson-Daniel, 10 Nicky Robinson, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Luke Narraway (capt), 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Paul Doran-Jones, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Rupert Harden, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Brett Deacon, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Tim Taylor, 23 Lesley Vainikolo.
Sale: 15 Nick Macleod, 14 Iain Thornley, 13 Chris Bell, 12 Kyle Tonetti, 11 Will Addison, 10 Charlie Hodgson (capt), 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Sisaro Koyamaibole. 7 Carl Fearns, 6 James Gaskell, 5 Chris Jones, 4 Nic Rouse, 3 Simon McIntyre, 2 Neil Briggs, 1 Eifion Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Marc Jones, 17 Lee Imiolek, 18 Ben Roberts, 19 Henry Thomas, 20 Sean Cox, 21 Neil McMillan, 22 Chris Leck, 23 Rob Miller.