Deans anticipates Gloucester

Deans: Looking forward to Gloucester

Playing in Gloucester will be an education for some of these blokes, there's no doubt about that

Robbie Deans
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

• Australia
• Gloucester

Also see

• Sky Sports experts
• Rugby on Sky
• Live scores
• Video highlights

Australia coach Robbie Deans believes the tourists' clash against Gloucester on Tuesday evening will provide an "education" for the team.

The Wallabies and South Africa have revived the trend of staging traditional tour matches against club sides this autumn.

Australia visit Kingsholm for a warm-up ahead of their Grand Slam opener against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

The tourists will also face Cardiff Blues later this month, while the Springboks will meet with Leicester and Saracens.

Deans believe Australia could be in for a surprise from Gloucester, despite the Wallabies team featuring nine full internationals, including winger Drew Mitchell and scrum-half Luke Burgess.

"We're very much looking forward to this game. It's great for the whole squad to be able to get a match, which is unusual these days," said Deans.

"It's kept the boys connected in preparation terms and it's great from a development point of view.

"Playing in Gloucester will be an education for some of these blokes, there's no doubt about that.

"It's likely to be bucketing it down and we'll all be better for the experience. I've told the players about the Shed as well!"

Defeat

Ryan Cross is the only surviving starter from the starting XV in the Wallabies defeat by New Zealand in Tokyo, while 25-year-old New South Wales Waratahs lock Dean Mumm will assume the role of captain for the first time.

The team features a front-line international quintet of Mumm, wingers Lachie Turner and Mitchell, scrum-half Burgess and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Fly-half Quade Cooper, number eight Richard Brown and prop Sekope Kepu have also had experience on the international stage, with Wycliffe Palu, Matt Dunning, Mark Chisholm and James O' Conner on the bench.

Jake Boer will skipper Gloucester in his first appearance since rejoining the injury-plagued outfit last month after departing Kingsholm in 2007 following 180 appearances for the club in seven years.

Experienced faces in the provisional Gloucester line-up include winger Tom Voyce, fly-half Carlos Spencer and second row Adam Eustace.