Gloucester Rugby team to host Clermont in Challenge Cup

December 14, 2023
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Ultimate Rugby

Director of Rugby, George Skivington has been boosted by the return of former European Player of the Year, Zach Mercer, from injury ahead of schedule for tomorrow's Challenge Cup clash with ASM Clermont Auvergne at Kingsholm.

International stars including Santi Carreras and Louis Rees-Zammit also return to the starting XV for Gloucester, after being rested in last week's trip to Georgia in their first game of the tournament.

Harry Elrington, Santi Socino and Fraser Balmain return to form the front row with Matias Alemanno joining Freddie Clarke in the second-row.

Clarke is the only player to retain his starting sport from last Saturday's win over Black Lion, as Director of Rugby, George Skivington, is forced to balance his squad between the two Challenge Cup fixtures.

Mercer returns to the back-row alongside Jack Clement and Club Captain, Lewis Ludlow, who penned a fresh deal at Kingsholm this week.

Stephen Varney and Santi Carreras start at half-backs, with Mx Llewellyn and Chris Harris lining up in the centre.

Louis Rees-Zammit wears the number 15 shirt at full back, and is flanked by Ollie Thorley and Jonny May on the wing.

Jamal Ford-Robinson and Kirill Gotovtsev impressed at scrum-time in Georgia, and are included on the bench for tomorrow. George McGuigan, Cam Jordan and Ben Donnell also wait in the wings for the forwards.

Charlie Chapman, Seb Atkinson and Lloyd Evans are the backs replacements.