Wasps v Gloucester: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 27/02/15 4:08pm
Joe Simpson has recovered from a shoulder knock to start for Wasps against Gloucester at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday.
Simpson is selected at scrum-half as Wasps attempt to maintain their unbeaten start at their Coventry home, with new signing Piri Weepu named on the bench.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young has named a new second row partnership of James Cannon and James Gaskell, Tom Varndell starts on the left wing, with Sailosi Tagicakibau providing cover on the bench for wing and centre.
Gloucester welcome back Jonny May from England duty and he goes straight into the starting line-up, while Mark Atkinson takes over at outside centre from the luckless Henry Trinder, who was stretchered off during last weekend’s win over London Welsh.
Dan Robson returns at scrum-half and there are two changes in the pack where Darren Dawidiuk and former Wasp, Tom Palmer, replace Aleki Lutui and James Hudson respectively.
Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 James Downey, 11 Tom Varndell, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Joe Simpson; 1 Matt Mullan (c), 2 Carlo Festuccia, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 4 James Cannon, 5 James Gaskell, 6 Ashley Johnson, 7 Thomas Young, 8 Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: 16 Edd Shervington, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Phil Swainston, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Guy Thompson, 21 Piri Weepu, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 Sailosi Tagicakibau.
Gloucester: 15 Charlie Sharples, 14 Jonny May, 13 Mark Atkinson, 12 Bill Meakes, 11 Henry Purdy, 10 James Hook, 9 Dan Robson; 1 Dan Murphy, 2 Darren Dawidiuk, 3 John Afoa, 4 Tom Savage (c), 5 Tom Palmer, 6 Ross Moriarty, 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Sione Kalamafoni.
Replacements: 16 Aleki Lutui, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Sila Puafisi, 19 James Hudson, 20 Jacob Rowan, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Billy Burns, 23 Gareth Evans.
