Forgotten Man

Samoan hooker Motu Matu'u is on his way to Kinsgholm for next season and in the meantime we can see another southern hemisphere import in action for the first time ...

Fullback Tom Marshall arrived last summer from NZ and has spent the season recovering from a serious knee injury.

He's fit now and takes his place in the starting line up at struggling Irish on Sunday as one of five changes.

Callum Braley starts at scrum half this week with Henry Trinder on the wing in place of Halaifonua on the left wing.

Up front Mariano Galarza comes in for Tom Savage and  Lewis Ludlow will be at No. 8 in place of Ross Moriarty whose been summoned by Wales.

Gloucs: 15. Tom Marshall; 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Bill Meakes, 12. Billy Twelvetrees (capt), 11. Henry Trinder; 10. James Hook, 9. Callum Braley; 1. Nick Wood, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. John Afoa; 4. Jeremy Thrush, 5. Mariano Galarza; 6. Sione Kalamafoni, 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Lewis Ludlow

Reps: Darren Dawidiuk,  Yann Thomas,  Paul Doran-Jones, Tom Savage, Gareth Evans,  Harry Randall, Mark Atkinson, Rob Cook

With the best will in the world it looks like Irish are doomed. With six games to go they are eight points adrift and need some five pointers quick.

With Gloucs stuttering strangely at times (Worcester, for instance) they may well fancy their chances this weekend specially as they are billing this as their St Patrick's day game.

They make two changes with Tom Court at prop and Will Lloyd for Stooke in the second row. Fresh from a decent show against Sarries in New York they're expecting their biggest crowd of the season.

London Irish: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Topsy Ojo, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Scott Steele, 1 Tom Court, 2 Tom Cruse, 3 Halani Aulika, 4 Will Lloyd, 5 Matt Symons, 6 Luke Narraway (capt), 7 Blair Cowan, 8 Rob McCusker

Reps: David Paice,  Tom Smallbone, Leo Halavatau, Jerry Sexton, Jebb Sinclair, Brendan McKibbin, Theo Brophy Clews, Fergus Mulchrone