Gloucester welcome back England wing Charlie Sharples for their Amlin Challenge Cup opener against Mont de Marsan in France.
Sharples has been sidelined with a shoulder injury suffered during the Aviva Premiership victory over London Irish last month.
Head coach Nigel Davies has rung the changes with Mike Tindall leading the side, while wing Ian Clark and hooker Koree Britton make their European debuts.
There are also opportunities for the likes of full-back Martyn Thomas, fly-half Tim Taylor and flanker Matt Cox, with Jimmy Cowan set for a second successive start from the bench.
"Momentum is very important. To continue winning and developing and building our game is really important. We've rotated the squad in the Premiership fixtures already, but it is important that we give an opportunity to some others," said Gloucester head coach Nigel Davies.
"And we are expecting no less from these guys. They have to step up to the plate and they have to take our game forward."
Mont de Marsan are currently propping up the French Top 14 with just a solitary point so far this season.
But they will be buoyed at having picked up their first point of the campaign, against Stade Francais Paris last Saturday, and have the vast experience of former Scotland international Scott Murray to help prepare for the challenge at Stade Guy Boniface.
The pool also includes London Irish and Bordeaux-Begles.
The teams:
Mont de Marsan: 15 Jean Baptiste Claverie, 14 Jordan Beaulavon, 13 Christofer Baegert, 12 Tamaz Mchedlidze, 11 Jean Baptiste Dubié, 10 Alexandre Douvesy, 9 Julien Cabannes, 8 Aldric Lescure 7 Sebastian De Chaves, 6 Yann Brethous,5 Vickus Liebenberg,4 Scott Murray,3 Mathieu Giudicelli, 2 Thomas Bordes, 1 Pierre Correia.
Replacements: 16 Ephraïm Taukafa, 17 Morgan Phelipponneau, 18 Eric Dos Santos, 19 Vincent Farre, 20 Laurent Magnaval, 21 Thibault Duvallet, 22 Yohann Durquet, 23 Sebastien Ormaechea.
Gloucester: 15 Martyn Thomas, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Tim Molenaar, 12 Mike Tindall, 11 Ian Clark, 10 Tim Taylor, 9 Dave Lewis, 8 Sione Kalafamoni,7 Andy Hazell, 6 Matt Cox, 5 Will James,4 Peter Buxton, 3 Shaun Knight,2 Koree Britton, 1 Yann Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apice, 17 Nick Wood, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Elliot Stooke, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Jimmy Cowan, 22 Henry Trinder, 23 Billy Twelvetrees.
Date: Thursday, October 11
Venue: Stade Guy Boniface
Referee: Neil Hennessy (Wales)
Assistant referees: James Jones (Wales), Martyn Lewis (Wales)
Television match official: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
Comments
rugby_rockstar says...
Given the red card and my earlier comments my considered opinion is that the referee was blatently in the employ of the Yakuza! ;)
Posted 16:34 12th October 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Ummmm, nah.
I could bet £100,000,000 and a month in Hawai with Scarlet Johansson and Natalie Portman AND Carmen Electra AND Duchess Kate all at the same time with the Japanese Yakuza AND STILL NOT WORRY ABOUT GETTING WHACKED!!!!! Feel free to add your outragious bets that Glaws will win below.
Posted 09:43 11th October 2012