Five international stars return for Gloucester

It’s a pity rugby isn’t a 30-man game – if it was, Gloucester would be even more powerful than they already are. There’s another demonstration of the club’s strength in depth in the team for Saturday’s Heineken Cup visit to play Ospreys at Swansea – it’s not so much the 22 players picked as those who don’t even make the squad that underline the strength Dean Ryan has to call on.

Five internationals are recalled to the starting line-up after recovering from illness and injury for a vital game that could decide Gloucester’s fate in the competition.
Ryan (left)told the club website: “We are fortunate to have some key players returning to the squad. Tomorrow represents what the Heineken Cup means across Europe – there are some huge contests and ours falls right into the top bracket.
“This is the top end of club competition and we will relish that fact. We have made a very encouraging start in the Heineken Cup but we know tomorrow will examine us and what we can offer this tournament.
“These are the sort of games you want to be involved in as a player and a coach and that is what makes it such an exciting prospect.”
The five players returning to action are hooker Andy Titterrell, number eight Gareth Delve (right), full-back Iain Balshaw, scrum-half Gareth Cooper and winger James Simpson-Daniel, whose omission from this week’s England squad surprised more people than Lesley Vainikolo’s inclusion.
Vainikolo is not available as he is still in New Zealand after the second personal tragedy to hit his family in recent weeks. Before Christmas one of his brother died suddenly, and now the club has revealed his latest return home is because of the death of his father.
While five “key players” return tomorrow, some big names drop out - like Olivier Azam, Willie Walker and Rory Lawson, while players like Alasdair Strokosch, Chris Paterson,Luke Narraway and Christiano Califano have to be happy with a place on the bench.
Many clubs would be delighted to include them in their starting line-up and keeping internatyional players happy is now one of Ryan’s major tasks. He said: “We have a strong squad and we are comfortable with the selections we have made for this specific game.
“It gives us dynamism with the option of power from the bench. Bar one or two exceptions, we have everybody available this weekend.”