Allen out to swat Wasps
Fri, 02 May 2008 16:12
Centre Anthony Allen will return to Gloucester's midfield for their Guinness Premiership showdown against Wasps on Sunday.
The England centre has not featured since being withdrawn midway through Gloucester's Heineken Cup defeat against Munster last month with a shoulder injury.
Allen has so far made 27 appearances in all competitions this season and has scored six tries and he returns in a centre partnership with Mike Tindall that allows James Simpson-Daniel to switch back to the wing as head coach Dean Ryan names his line-up that will not include Lesley Vainikolo because of a hamstring strain.
That means Iain Balshaw continues on the other wing and Olly Morgan will make his first start at fullback since the defeat against Munster.
Ryan Lamb and Rory Lawson will start their fifth successive match together as halfback partners.
The forwards have a settled feel to them. Nick Wood will pack down at loosehead prop alongside hooker Andy Titterrell, who will start his seventh successive game, and Carlos Nieto.
Marco Bortolami will skipper the side from the second row alongside Alex Brown. Alasdair Strokosch will wear the No.6 jersey and form a back row alongside Akapusi Qera, who scored a hat-trick in Gloucester's victory over Leeds, and No.8 Luke Narraway.
"We are very aware of what Sunday represents in terms of the challenge we face and what we have to do to match it," said Gloucester's head coach Dean Ryan.
"It's about a physicality level we have experienced at the top end of Europe and we will be ready for that. Wasps are an outstanding side, well schooled in the arts of knockout rugby and that is what makes the challenge very exciting.
"But we need to concentrate and focus on our game and getting the maximum out of the threat we can create. If we can do that then I am positive we can stretch any team we come up against.
"We have given ourselves an opportunity towards the play-offs but nothing has been accomplished yet which is why this game means so much to us."
On the bench, Ryan has opted for a five-two forward split.
Hooker Olivier Azam and prop Alasdair Dickinson are the front row options; Will James is the second row cover, while both Peter Buxton and Gareth Delve complete the forwards.
Scrumhalf Gareth Cooper and Willie Walker - both starters against Leeds - are the options at No.9.
Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 James Simpson-Daniel, 13 Mike Tindall, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Iain Balshaw, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Luke Narraway, 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Marco Bortolami (captain), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Andy Titterrell, 1 Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16 Olivier Azam, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Will James, 19 Peter Buxton, 20 Gareth Delve, 21 Gareth Cooper, 22 Willie Walker.
Date: Sunday, May 4
Venue: Adams Park, London
Kick-off: 15.00 (14.00 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Touch judges: Stuart Terheege, Paul Emerson
TMO: John Burtenshaw
With thanks to guinnesspremiership.com
