Skivington names strong team for Leinster clash at Kingsholm

January 13, 2023
1236
Ultimate Rugby

Gloucester Rugby has named a strong squad for his team's Heineken Champions Cup Round 3 fixture against the former Champions, Leinster, at Kingsholm.

Up front, Val Rapava-Ruskin and Kirill Gotovtsev start again, with George McGuigan, who makes his Champions Cup debut for the Cherry & Whites.

Freddie Clarke and Matias Alemanno form an industrious second-row partnership, with Ruan Ackermann, Ben Morgan and captain Lewis Ludlow in the back-row.

In form Ben Meehan and Santi Carreras start as half-backs.

Seb Atkinson comes back into the starting XV for Giorgi Kveseladze, where he partners Lion, Chris Harris.

Ollie Thorley was voted Stowford Press Player of the Match in his first two matches since injury, he starts once again on the wing, with Jonny May and George Barton occupying the other back-three spots.

On the bench, young Seb Blake continues, after making his Gallagher Premiership debut last weekend. Harry Elrington, Ciaran Knight, Cam Jordan and Jack Clement also cover the forward positions. Stephen Varney, who was named in the Italian training squad for the upcoming Six Nations, covers the backs with Billy Twelvetrees and Tom Seabrook.