Aviva Premiership match preview: London Irish v Gloucester
London Irish host Gloucester at Madejski Stadium on Sunday looking to halt a five-match Aviva Premiership losing run.
Last Updated: 27/12/13 3:21pm
Flanker Ofisa Treviranus will start for the 11th-placed hosts, with the Samoa international playing alongside Blair Cowan and Kieran Low in the back row.
George Skivington and Ian Gough will partner in the second row with Matt Parr, Jimmy Stevens and CJ Van Der Linde in the front row.
Tomas O'Leary and Ian Humphreys will form the half back combination and Eamonn Sheridan and Fergus Mulchrone will continue to play together in the centre. Alex Lewington returns to the back three to play alongside Topsy Ojo and James O'Connor.
Director of rugby Brian Smith said: "We've had a very good preparation for the match and we're looking forward to our supporters coming out in numbers to see us at home on Sunday.
"The players are ready to go and we expect a fierce battle with Gloucester in every department."
Gloucester Rugby ended their own five-game losing run in the Premiership with a hard fought 12-6 win over Worcester at Kingsholm on Sunday
Director of rugby Nigel Davies has opted not to change his starting line-up following that victory, which moved the Cherry and Whites up to ninth place in the table.
But Will James and Gareth Evans have come in for Tom Hicks and Akapusi Qera among the replacements.
London Irish: 15 O'Connor, 14 Ojo, 13 Mulchrone, 12 Sheridan, 11 Lewington, 10 Humphreys, 9 O'Leary, 8 Cowan, 7 Treviranus, 6 Low, 5 Gough, 4 Skivington (c), 3 Van Der Linde, 2 Stevens, 1 Parr.
Replacements: 16 Mayhew, 17 Yapp, 18 Halavatau, 19 Rouse, 20 Sinclair, 21 Fenby, 22 Geraghty, 23 Hoadley
Gloucester: 15 Cook, 14 Sharples, 13 Trinder, 12 Tindall, 11 May, 10 Twelvetrees (c), 9 Cowan, 8 Morgan, 7 Kvesic, 6 Cox, 5 Hudson, 4 Stooke, 3 Puafisi, 2 Dawidiuk, 1 Wood.
Replacements: 16 Edmonds, 17 Thomas, 18 Knight, 19 James, 20 Evans, 21 Robson, 22 Burns, 23 Thomas