Gloucester
Volcano returns and goes straight into Glaws team
Big Les - back
By Cherry Picker
January 18 2008
Losing away to Bath in the Premiership and Ospreys in the Heineken Cup is one thing, but surely Gloucester can't lose at home to Ulster in their final European group game ... can they? If there's anything other than a big home win to earn a home tie in the knock-out stage, serious questions will have to be asked of the playing and coaching staff.
But the losing option is surely not one that needs to be contemplated as Glaws aim to bounce back after their rain-soaked disappointments at the Wreck and the Liberty Stadium.
Glaws were beaten by the better team on both occasions, or at least by the team that adapted better to the conditions and the circumstances.
And as we have said before here on Shedloads, what counts now is how Glaws react to those two defeats.
For Sunday's game, which kicks-off at 1pm, Lesley Vainikolo is back on the wing for his first game since being named in Brian Ashton's England Six Nations squad. He returned earlier this week from his second family funeral in New Zealand in a month, the death of his father following the death of his oldest brother.
And after a meeting with coach Dean Ryan (right), it's been decided that the big man should go straight back into action.
He told the club website: “I have been fortunate to have received a great deal of support but I am really happy to be back, be around the boys again and thinking about rugby.
“It’s great I have an opportunity this weekend and I want to go out and repay the faith people have in me. There is a job to do on Sunday and we must make sure we achieve it.”
Les didn't play in either of the two defeats, and will be hoping to improve on his record of nine tries in nine games for Glaws to show his selection by Ashton is based on merit, though of course if all the England coach's decisions were based on merit, Sinbad would also be in the squad.
Ryan makes five changes on Sunday with Rory Lawson and Chris Paterson replacing Ryan Lamb and Gareth Cooper at half-back, Nick Wood returning at loose-head in place of Christian Califano, Olivier Azam in as hooker and Alasdair Strokosch back in the back row as Peter Buxton moves into the second row to replace broken-arm victim Alex Brown with a broken arm.
GLOUCESTER (v Ulster, Sunday. 1pm): Iain Balshaw; James Simpson-Daniel, Mike Tindall, Anthony Allen, Lesley Vainikolo, Chris Paterson, Rory Lawson, Nick Wood, Olivier Azam, Carlos Nieto, Peter Buxton, Marco Bortolami (capt), Alasdair Strokosch, Akapusi Qera, Gareth Delve. Reps: Andy Titterrell, Christian Califano, Will James, Luke Narraway, Gareth Cooper, Ryan Lamb, Willie Walker.
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