George Skivington

By New Cherry
December 15 2022

Looks like George Skivington is playing the long game as he brings in 13 new faces for the daunting trip to Leinster (Friday kick off 8.00 pm on BT). It will be charcater building for the youthful members of the squad, which will be bolsterefd by a fair bit of experience in the shape of the likes of Billy Twelvetrees.

Lambs to the slaughter does spring to mind but as, the round ball game has shown,  plucky underdogs with nothing to lose can pull off a  surprise.

To put the game in context Leinster are unbeaten in the United Rugby Champipnship and last week despatched Racing 92 42-10 in Paris.

Only Lloyd Evans at full back and wing Alex Hearle continue in the starting line-up from the side which came from behind to beat Bordeaux-Begles in round one.

Billy Twelvetrees came off the bench last week and starts this week alongside Giorgi Kveseladze with Jake Modri in for Jonny May. The half backs are Ben Meehan, who will lead the side, and George Barton.

There's issues in the front row, of course, with the nasty injuries to Jack Singletopn and Fraser Balmain, which has led tyo the superb signing of try scoring front row George McGuian from Falcons. He'll join next week with Harry Elrington, Henry Walker  and Ciaran Knight in the front row against Lienster.

The locks will be Freddie Thomas and Arthur Clark start with Jake Polledri, Jack Clement and Albert Tuisue in the back-row.

Gloucs: 15. Lloyd Evans 14. Alex Hearle 13. Giorgi Kveseladze 12. Billy Twelvetrees 11. Jake Morris 10. George Barton 9. Ben Meehan (Capt) 1. Harry Elrington 2. Henry Walker 3. Ciaran Knight  4. Freddie Thomas 5. Arthur Clark 6. Jake Polledri 7. Jack Clement 8. Albert Tuisue.

 Changes: 16. Seb Blake 17. Alex Seville 18. Kirill Gotovtsev 19. Alex Craig 20. Harry Taylor 21. Charlie Chapman 22. Seb Atkinson 23. Kyle Moyle

Leinster: 15. Hugo Keenan  14. Jimmy O’Brien 13. Garry Ringrose (Capt) 2. Charlie Ngatai  11. James Lowe 10. Ross Byrne 9. Luke McGrath  1. Andrew Porter2. Rónan Kelleher 3. Michael Ala’alatoa  4. Ross Molony 5. James Ryan 6. Caelan Doris 7. Josh van der Flier 8. Jack Conan.

Changes 16. Dan Sheehan 17. Ed Byrne 18. Cian Healy 19. Joe McCarthy 20. Max Deegan 21. Jamison Gibson-Park 22. Johnny Sexton 23. Jordan Larmour 

All Change

Discussion started by Shedloads (IP Logged), 15/12/2022 12:30

Shedloads
15/12/2022 12:30

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tigersimon
15/12/2022 12:43

Any news on Balmain injury?

Wishing him a speedy recovery.

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