Western Daily Press (Saturday)

Garvey, Williams and Heinz face Gloucester

- J Woodward; J May, B Twelvetree­s, M Atkinson, O Thorley, A Hastings, B Meehan; H Elrington, J Singleton, K Gotovtsev, F Clarke, A Davidson, R Ackermann, L Ludlow (capt), B Morgan. Replacemen­ts: H Walker, V Rapava-Ruskin, J Ford-Robinson, F Thomas, J Cleme

hand side. Billy Twelvetree­s and Mark Atkinson are in the midfield, while Ben Meehan partners Hastings at half-back.

Harry Elrington and Jack Singleton line up alongside Gotovtsev in the front row, with Freddie Clarke and Andrew Davidson packing down behind them. Ruan Ackermann, Lewis Ludlow and Ben Morgan continue in the back row.

Val Rapava-Ruskin and Freddie Thomas, as well as Lions returnee Chris Harris are set for their first appearance­s of the season if they are deployed from the bench.

Meanwhile, Matt Garvey will make his first competitiv­e start for the Warriors against his former club.

Melani Nanai starts on the left wing in place of Perry Humphreys. Nanai started at full-back against Irish, but suffered a sore Achilles in that match and was used as a second half wing replacemen­t at Harlequins.

Tonga internatio­nal back row Sione Vailanu, a summer signing from Wasps, is set to make his first competitiv­e appearance for Warriors having recovered from the calf injury he suffered in a pre-season friendly against Connacht last month.

Apart from Garvey, there are two more former Gloucester players in the Warriors starting XV in former Wales fly-half Owen Williams, who has returned to the Premiershi­p having spent a season playing in Japan, and England internatio­nal scrum-half Willi Heinz who moved away from Kingsholm during the summer.

Centre Ollie Lawrence has recovered from the illness which ruled him out of England’s training camp earlier this week.

Worcester club captain Ted Hill, who took part in that camp, also returns to club duty.

Gloucester Rugby:

Owen Farrell will lead a trio of England players returning from British & Irish Lions duty to the Gallagher Premiershi­p today.

Farrell is joined in the Saracens line-up at Leicester by hooker Jamie George, who was not involved in the Test series, while Northampto­n’s Courtney Lawes is on bench duty when Saints host London Irish.

Three non-English Lions are also in action for their clubs. In addition to Chris Harris at Gloucester, Wales’ Dan Biggar starts for Northampto­n, and Harris’ Scotland colleague Stuart Hogg is at full-back when Exeter visit Sale tomorrow.

Bristol versus Bath finished after last night’s Daily Press deadline.

 ?? Dan Mullan/Getty Images ?? Former Gloucester favourite Willi Heinz in action for Worcester against London Irish
Dan Mullan/Getty Images Former Gloucester favourite Willi Heinz in action for Worcester against London Irish

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