Newcastle v Gloucester: Teams

Jordi Pasqualin: Ready to face his former team-mates

Newcastle scrum-half Jordi Pasqualin can't wait to face his former team-mates after he was recalled for Friday's clash with Gloucester.

The 21-year-old, who moved to the Falcons in the summer, is one of seven changes made following the defeat to Harlequins last time out.

Greg Goosen, Corne Uys, Ryan Shortland, Grant Shiells, Euan Murray and Will Welch also come into the side., with Pasqualin saying: "It's a game I have been looking forward to and as a player you always want to put in a good performance if you're playing against your old club.

"Gloucester haven't won here for three seasons and we will be trying our best to make this the fourth.

"They are a quality side with great capability but we can give them a good game and make the most of our home advantage."

Massive

Gloucester have made five changes to their starting XV - with Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu free to play again.

Fuimaono-Sapolu has completed his three match ban and joins James Simpson-Daniel, Tom Voyce and Dave Lewis in returning to the back division. Hooker Scott Lawson also starts in the only change to the pack.

Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath said: "Friday night is massive for us, as big as it is for Newcastle. We've got nothing to lose. We'll probably go there as underdogs and I'm happy with that. They'll go in as favourites because of their track record against us.

"We know exactly what Newcastle are and exactly what they've done to beat us in the past. We've got to go into the game with the mentality that we had when we went to Exeter.

"We'd love to have a full bill of health but we're not far short of it and we'll go up there with all guns blazing."

Newcastle: 15 Greg Goosen, 14 Suka Hufanga, 13 Corne Uys, 12 James Fitzpatrick, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Jordi Pasqualin, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch, 6 Taiasina Tuifua, 5 Andrew Van Der Heijden, 4 James Hudson, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Michael Mayhew, 1 Grant Shiells.

Replacements: 16 Joe Graham, 17 Ashley Wells, 18 Dan Frazier, 19 Adriaan Fondse, 20 Mark Wilson, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 Jamie Helleur, 23 Tom Catterick.

Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 James Simpson-Daniel, 13 Mike Tindall, 12 Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Dave Lewis, 1 Nick Wood, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 Rupert Harden, 4 Will James, 5 Jim Hamilton, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 7 Akapusi Qera, 8 Luke Narraway (capt).
Replacements: 16 Matias Cortese, 17 Dan Murphy, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Peter Buxton, 20 Brett Deacon, 21 Rory Lawson, 22 Tim Taylor, 23 Henry Trinder