Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Hastings returns to boost George
ADAM Hastings and Ruan Ackermann return to the Gloucester Rugby line-up for today’s Gallagher Premiership game against Northampton Saints at Kingsholm.
Cherry & Whites director of rugby George Skivington revealed earlier this week that 27-cap Scotland stand-off Hastings was in the frame to face Saints having fully recovered from a knee injury he sustained in the pre-season Premiership Rugby Cup.
Skivington said: “He’s training this week. We have started to get a few more numbers back on the training pitch, which is nice to see.
“We have got a few decisions to make around Hasto and a few others. It is nice to see him out there. He is looking very fit and he is chomping and ready to go.”
There is also positive news in the forward pack with back rower Ackermann fit again having been rested for the European fixtures after only just making his playing return from a neck issue suffered back in September against the Barbarians.
Skivington said: “He had a slight niggle after the Bristol game and it was a conservative decision by me (to leave him out of the Challenge Cup matches) because I felt it was important to get past that having not had Ruan available for a long time this season. He is back out and training now as well.”
Gloucester’s front five is unchanged from the side that defeated Clermont last weekend, with Freddie Clarke and Matias Alemanno packing down behind Harry Elrington, Santi Socino and Fraser Balmain once more.
Ackermann comes into the back row, where he joins Zach Mercer and captain Lewis Ludlow.
Hastings comes in at fly-half alongside Stephen Varney.