Big Boys Back

The international contingent return to Kingsholm to take on Saints on Saturday (kick off 3.15 live on BT Sport ) with Billy Twelvetrees in particular looking like a man on a mission ..

He's had to be content with coming off the bench for England, but every time he has made a big impression with some devastating tackles winning decent turnover ball.

He'll doubtless be out to impress Lancaster and do his World Cup ambitions a power of good against Northampton. So will Jonny May who was sent back early to face Wasps last week - a lack lustre defeat ensued.

Greg Laidlaw and Richard Hibbard are also back from Six Nations duty, and they'll take their places in a side which suffered a 53-6 drubbing at Franklins Gardens on the opening day of the season.

There's been a vast improvement  since then and we'll find out just how far they have come come Saturday tea-time.

Gloucs: Steve McColl; Charlie Sharples, Bill Meakes, Billy Twelvetrees (capt), Jonny May; James Hook, Greig Laidlaw; Dan Murphy, Richard Hibbard, John Afoa; Tom Savage, Tom Palmer; Sione Kalamafoni, Matt Kvesic, Gareth Evans.

Reps: Darren Dawidiuk, Yann Thomas, Sila Puafisi, Elliott Stooke, Ross Moriarty, Dan Robson, Billy Burns, Henry Purdy.

Saints make a handful of changes with Alex Corbisiero and Salesi Ma’afu  in for Alex Waller and Gareth Denma, skipper Tom Wood swapping places with Sam Dickinson in the back row and Kahn Fotuali’i replacing Lee Dickson at scrum-half.

Saints: James Wilson, Ken Pisi, George Pisi, Tom Stephenson, Jamie Elliott, Stephen Myler, Kahn Fotuali'i, Alex Corbisiero, Mike Haywood, Salei Ma'afu, Courtney Lawes, Christian Day, Tom Wood, Callum Clark, Sam Manoa.

Reps: Matti Williams, Alex Waller, Gareth Denman, Sam Dickinson,  Phil Dowson, Lee Dickson, Sam Olver.