Harlequins v Gloucester - Aviva Premiership match preview
Harlequins welcome back Mike Brown and George Robson for Saturday's televised Premiership showdown with Gloucester.
Last Updated: 03/11/12 4:42pm
Jordan Turner-Hall has also been released and following consultation with the England management - the centre will undergo a rehabilitation and conditioning programme to allow his knee to settle further - as a result Tom Casson continues at inside centre with Matt Hopper outside him.
Sam Smith replaces Ugo Monye on the wing, while Nick Evans, who signed a new three-year contract with the club this week, returns from injury to join Karl Dickson in the half backs.
Mark Lambert starts at loosehead prop while Joe Gray returns from injury to start at hooker. Luke Wallace comes into the back row with Maurie Fa'asavalu and captain, Nick Easter.
Meanwhile, Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Davies makes four changes from the side that defeated Leicester Tigers last weekend.
Davies makes one injury enforced change with Matt Cox coming in for Sione Kalamafoni on the blindside flank, while Charlie Sharples is away with England and is replaced by Shane Monahan.
The remaining changes see Dan Murphy named as the loose head prop in place of Nick Wood, while Martyn Thomas gets the nod at full-back ahead of Rob Cook. Cook and Wood are both named amongst the replacements.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Tom Williams, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 Tom Casson, 11 Sam Smith, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Karl Dickson, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Luke Wallace, 6 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 5 George Robson, 4 Olly Kohn, 3 James Johnston, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Mark Lambert.
Replacements:16 Rob Buchanan, 17 Darryl Marfo, 18 Will Collier, 19 Charlie Matthews, 20 Tom Guest, 21 Jordan Burns, 22 Ben Botica, 23 Seb Stegmann
Gloucester: 15 Martyn Thomas, 14 Shane Monahan, 13 Mike Tindall (c), 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 James Simpson-Daniel, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Matt Cox, 5 Will James, 4 Tom Savage, 3 Rupert Harden, 2 Huia Edmonds, 1 Dan Murphy.
Replacements: 16 Tommaso d'Apice, 17 Nick Wood, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Peter Buxton, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Tim Molenaar, 23 Rob Cook.
What they said...
Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Davies
"We had to give everything against Leicester so we've adjusted things a little and given the players a couple of days off.
"Hopefully, it'll pay dividends for us this weekend. The most important day of the week for us is matchday and, hopefully, we'll be in the right place physically and mentally."
