Gloucester v Leicester Tigers - Aviva Premiership match preview

Geordan Murphy: Has recovered from a knee injury

Freddie Burns: Missed the Amlin Challenge Cup matches

Gloucester welcome back fly-half Freddie Burns for Saturday's Aviva Premiership clash with Leicester Tigers at Kingsholm.

Burns sat out Gloucester's Amlin Challenge Cup outings but he returns as one of five changes made by director of rugby Nigel Davies.

Rob Cook also comes into the backline, with Martyn Thomas making way, while Tom Savage, Nick Wood and Rupert Harden return to the pack.

Captain Jim Hamilton misses out, though, due to injury.

Leicester will be buoyed by the return of vastly experienced duo Geordan Murphy and Louis Deacon for the trip to Kingsholm.

Club captain Murphy has recovered from a knee complaint, while Deacon is promoted from the bench.

Leicester, though, are without Miles Benjamin, Tom Croft, Brett Deacon, Rob Hawkins, Wessel Jooste, Julian Salvi and Richard Thorpe due to injury.

Gloucester: 15 Rob Cook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Mike Tindall (captain), 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 James Simpson-Daniel, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 1 Nick Wood, 2 Huia Edmonds, 3 Rupert Harden, 4 Tom Savage, 5 Will James, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Akapusi Qera, 8 Ben Morgan
Replacements: 16 Koree Britton, 17 Dan Murphy, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Peter Buxton, 20 Matt Cox, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Martyn Thomas, 23 Shane Monahan

Leicester: 15 Geordan Murphy (c), 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Logovi'i Mulipola, 2 Tom Youngs, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Louis Deacon, 5 Geoff Parling, 6 Steve Mafi, 7 Thomas Waldrom, 8 Jordan Crane
Replacements: 16 George Chuter, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Graham Kitchener, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 George Ford, 23 Matt Smith

What they said...

Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Davies

"I'm sure it'll be a tight, tough encounter. We've also gained a lot of experience in the past five or six matches of getting results towards the end of the game, so it should be an exciting fixture which goes right to the death."

Director of rugby Richard Cockerill

"Geordan and Deacs are two of our most experienced players and two of the leaders in the camp so it is good to have them back in the squad.

"We've had a decent start but it is important that we keep our form going, especially with the autumn international period coming up."

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