Leeds v Gloucester: Teams

Vainikolo: Try-scoring exploits

Last season: n/a
Player to watch: Lesley Vainikolo - The giant winger has a habit of scoring at Headingley, with Vainikolo crossing five times there against the Leeds Rhinos. A cross-code switch from Bradford is unlikely to lessen his threat.
Match fact: Leeds made a winning return to the top-flight in 2001, however Gloucester have only lost one of their last 10 opening fixtures.
Betting: For the latest Guinness Premiership odds, click here.

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Stuart Lancaster is relishing seeing Leeds Carnegie back in the Premiership despite being handed a tough opening fixture.

The Yorkshiremen, who bounced back at the first attempt after their relegation in 2006, will welcome Gloucester to Headingley on Sunday - with last season's beaten Premiership finalists recruiting heavily in the summer.

And although a number of the Cherry and Whites are away on World Cup duty, they have arguably the strongest squad this campaign and will pose Leeds the toughest of tests.

However, Lancaster is determined to see Headingley become a fortress this season.

He told the club's official site: "We are all really looking forward to the weekend. There has been a lot of hard work on and off the field during the summer and it is tremendous that our first game is against a side of the quality of Gloucester on our own patch.

Momentum

"We want to build momentum and make Headingley Carnegie a difficult place to come. We have a good opportunity to start the season against a truly competitive side in front of our own fans and it is an opportunity we need to grasp."

Lancaster has handed debuts to four players, including former Gloucester full-back Jon Goodridge and Rotherham back-row Hendre Fourie

There is a new-look half-back partnership with No.10 Alberto Di Bernardo and scrum-half Joe Bedford paired together after their respective moves from Cornish Pirates and Rotherham.

Former Leeds Rhinos nemesis Lesley Vainikolo will make his debut against their rugby union counterparts when Gloucester arrive at Headingley.

The powerhouse winger made his name in rugby league playing for Bradford Bulls, registering five tries at Headingley, however he is itching to get his new career off and running.

He told the club's official site: "I know Headingley well and I have some good memories of playing there - it will be a good place to start but I am a Gloucester player now and that is where I want to be.

"Pre-season has been good for all of the guys and we are happy. We have trained well and I feel good. We now need to put it in against Leeds this weekend. We are probably still a little bit away from the style of play we are striving for but it is going well.

Settled

"I have settled in really well, the boys have been great and it is fantastic being part of the Gloucester family. We have had two games and now I can't wait to get started - it's the real deal now.

"We have to concentrate on what we are doing, we have trained hard for this game and a good start is really important but we know it will be a tough game away from home and we have to be prepared for that.

"I am looking forward to the challenge - it is great being involved."

Vainikolo joins former Leicester centre Leon Lloyd and ex Munster and Bourgoin scrum-half Mike Prendergast in a new-look Gloucester backline, while fellow new signings Andy Titterrell and Alasdair Strokosch are named on the bench.

Loose-head prop Patrice Collazo also makes a welcome return to the side, having suffered a series of injuries last season.

Leeds: 15 Jon Goodridge, 14 Tom Rock, 13 Jonny Hepworth, 12 Richard Welding, 11 Tom Biggs, 10 Alberto Di Bernardo, 9 Joe Bedford, 1 Michael Cusack, 2 Rob Rawlinson, 3 Colin Noon, 4 Stuart Hooper (c), 5 Kearnan Myall, 6 Jon Dunbar, 7 Hendre Fourie, 8 Rhys Oakley.

Replacements: 16 Adam Hopcroft, 17 James Parkes, 18 Pablo Bouza, 19 Mark Lock, 20 James Brooks, 21 John Holtby, 22 Leigh Hinton.

Gloucester: 15 Iain Balshaw, 14 James Simpson-Daniel, 13 Leon Lloyd, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Lesley Vainikolo, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Mike Prendergast, 1 Patrice Collazo, 2 Olivier Azam, 3 Carlos Nieto, 4 Jonathan Pendlebury, 5 Alex Brown, 6 Peter Buxton (c), 7 Andy Hazell, 8 Luke Narraway.

Replacements: 16 Andy Titterrell, 17 Christian Califano, 18 Dan Tuohy, 19 Alasdair Strokosch, 20 Dave Lewis, 21 Willie Walker, 22 Olly Morgan.