Last Chance Saloon
Laidlaw Returns
By Cherry Picker
April 2 2015
There are five changes for the visit of Connacht on Friday night as we enter the sudden death stages of the Challenge Cup .... and our last chance to qualify for next season's Champions Cup.
In the backs Greg Laidlaw, Steve McColl and Billy Meakes come in for Billy Burns, Brendan Macken and Callum Braley.
In the pack Dan Murphy replaces Nick Wood with Tom Savage back at lock, Gareth Evans returning at number eight and Sione Kalamafoni at flanker.
They will face a resurgent Connacht who have been doing very well under Pat Lam who makes four changes to his side.
Ireland international Robbie Henshaw returns at inside centre in a partnership with the competition's top try scorer - Danie Poolman. Tiernan O’Halloran shifts to the right wing with Mils Muliaina at fullback afetr announcging he's leaving at the end of the season to join Zebre.
Up front, South African Quinn Roux is in the second row and Andrew Browne starts at blindside. Skipper John Muldoon will wear the number 8 shirt in what will be his sixth Challenge Cup quarter-final.
Gloucs go into the game as the bookies tournament favourites after winning all six of our group games. Certainly Fortress Kingsholm should be a major advantage - we wopuldn't have wanted to face this hard tackling opposition on their own turf.
We will also be motivated by the fact that this season one qualifying spot in the 2015-15 Champions Cup goes to: "The seventh-ranked club from the Aviva Premiership, or the winner of the 2014/15 Challenge Cup if from the Aviva Premiership and not already qualified for the Champions Cup."
As we are currently ninth we must target going through as the winner of the Challenge Cup.
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, Nick Wood, Sila Puafisi, James Hudson, Ross Moriarty, Dan Robson, Billy Burns, Henry Purdy
Connacht: 15. Mils Muliaina 14. Tiernan O’Halloran 13. Danie Poolman 12. Robbie Henshaw 11. Matt Healy 10. Jack Carty 9. Kieran Marmion
1. Denis Buckley 2. Tom McCartney 3. Rodney Ah You 4. Quinn Roux 5. Aly Muldowney 6. Andrew Browne 7. Eoghan Masterson 8. John Muldoon (captain)
Reps: 16. Shane Delahunt 17. JP Cooney 18. Finlay Bealham 19. Mick Kearney 20. James Connolly 21. Ian Porter 22. Craig Ronaldson 23. Darragh Leader