Friday 1 May 2015 13:15, UK
Gloucester will put the one remaining 100 per cent record in Europe on the line when they face Edinburgh in Friday’s Challenge Cup final at the Twickenham Stoop.
The Cherry and Whites have won all eight of their European fixtures this season and they will look to make that nine when they return to the venue where they lifted the Challenge Cup in 2006.
Edinburgh are the first Scottish team to contest a European final and they will be up against a familiar face in scrum-half Greig Laidlaw, who swapped Murrayfield for Kingsholm last summer.
Having rested players for last weekend’s victory over Newcastle, Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys has named a strong squad for Friday’s game, which is live on Sky Sports.
Laidlaw and James Hook renew their half-back partnership while Bill Meakes is named alongside captain Billy Twelvetrees in midfield.
There are just two changes to the pack that started the semi-final win over Connacht. Tom Palmer starts at lock, with Ross Moriarty replacing Sione Kalamafoni in the back row.
"We probably didn't expect to get to this stage this year, but we know the quality that is within this group and, on its day, this team can compete with anybody,” said Humphreys.
Edinburgh whitewashed Zebre in the Guinness PRO12 last weekend and they make two changes for the trip to Twickenham.
Greig Tonks is named at full-back after returning from injury, while captain Mike Coman switches to blindside from No 8 to accommodate the inclusion of Cornell Du Preez.
Wingers Dougie Fife and Tim Visser will both make their 50th European appearances, while the competition’s highest points scorer Sam Hidalgo-Clyne continues at scrum-half.
"This is a huge occasion,” said Edinburgh head coach Alan Solomons. “To be in the final is massive for the players, the club and Scottish rugby.
“We are determined to deliver a performance that befits the occasion.”
Edinburgh: 15 Greig Tonks, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Sam Beard, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Phil Burleigh, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; 1 Alasdair Dickinson, 2 Ross Ford, 3 WP Nel, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Ben Toolis, 6 Mike Coman (c), 7 Roddy Grant, 8 Cornell Du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 John Andress, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Hamish Watson, 21 Nathan Fowles, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Tom Brown.
Gloucester: 15 Charlie Sharples, 14 Jonny May, 13 Bill Meakes, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (c), 11 Henry Purdy, 10 James Hook, 9 Greig Laidlaw; 1 Nick Wood, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 John Afoa, 4 Tom Savage, 5 Tom Palmer, 6 Ross Moriarty, 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Gareth Evans.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Sila Puafisi, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Jacob Rowan, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Billy Burns, 23 Steve McColl.
Watch Edinburgh v Gloucester live on Sky Sports 1 on Friday from 7pm
