GLOUCESTER COACH NIGEL Davies has left out several of his best players for the Pool 6 Heineken Cup clash against Munster tomorrow evening.
England international out-half Freddie Burns is on the bench for the Premiership side, while creative centre Billy Twelvetrees is left out of the match-day squad entirely.
Remarkably, the Gloucester XV retains just three players who started last weekend’s 27-22 win over Perpignan in Jonny May, Ryan Mills and former international Mike Tindall. The entire forwards pack has been changed, with the excellent openside flanker Matt Kvesic also missing from the squad.
Head coach Nigel Davies has been operating a rotation policy at Gloucester this season, but he was expected to buck the trend for the visit to Thomond Park. Munster will certainly be taking nothing for granted after last weekend’s shock loss to Edinburgh, but Rob Penney will be encouraged by the team Gloucester have named.
There are several players to watch out for in the visitors’ starting line-up, with Charlie Sharples on the right wing possessing incredible pace. Ben Morgan at No. 8 is a man still looking to find his best form, but he is a powerful presence regardless of that.
Overall though, this is not what was expected from Davies and Munster will possibly be relieved.
Gloucester (v Munster): Martyn Thomas; Charlie Sharples, Mike Tindall, Ryan Mills, Jonny May; Jonny Bentley, Dan Robson; Dan Murphy, Darren Dawidiuk, Rupert Harden; Lua Lokotui, Will James (capt); Matt Cox, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan.Replacements: Dan George, James Gibbons, Yann Thomas, James Hudson, Gareth Evans, Tavis Knoyle, Freddie Burns, Rob Cook.
That ref is a bit whistle happy. Being particularly harsh on KK I’d think.
@Jason Pierce: he is a joke the cork keeper should get a oscar for acting
@Tom Dowling: yellow was for throwing the hurl…
@IrishOwl: she threw the defenders hurl away. Not at someone. How is that foul play? I haven’t read the rule book so I’m open for correction.
@Jason Pierce: ref loves Cork, thats why
@Jason Pierce: apparently its there somewhere i believe. Sportsmanship and all that….
@Oisin Curry: oh that must be it… my bad ? Ffs
@IrishOwl: why was the goalie acting then the usual cork stuff
@IrishOwl: and penalty what was that for?
@Jamie Walsh: and about three or four other frees, he gave one for charging that was a joke
@IrishOwl: nothing about yellow for throwing a hurl away
@Tom Dowling: usual stuff like winning another All Ireland ? Ffs pipe down
@Anthony Davoren: thats that settled then. Anyway… who cares.. Cork won !
@IrishOwl: brilliant analysis, who cares? Handed an all Ireland ffs
@Jamie Walsh: handed an All Ireland ? Lol. Sure all Kilkennys wides had no bearing on the result.. go back to bed. The hatred for Cork is strong today.
@IrishOwl: I’m wide awake and hate to point the obvious but the amount of wides registered by a team has no bearing on scoreboard?! , but if one team scores when handed penalties and frees that have no place in a competitive match let alone an AI final well that might I’m thinking
Ref is woeful
Ref should be ashamed of himself
That ref should be ashamed of himself.
What women if only cork men hurlers had the same bottle
Up the Rebels. Well done!
A complete joke of a referee kilkenny were totally robbed, working hard all year to reach AI then cheated by an imbecile
Denise Gaule might just pip it. Sorry I mean Kilkenny of course
Heap of shite. *anny hurling
@Paulie T: anny hurling?