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Franco Mostert to be unleashed against Exeter Chiefs on first start
By Online Editors
Second row Franco Mostert will make his first start as Gloucester Rugby make half a dozen changes to their starting line-up for Friday evening’s Heineken Champions Cup fixture at home to Exeter Chiefs (kick off 7:45pm).
It’s the second leg of the traditional December European double-header, and Gloucester Rugby will be looking to back up last Saturday’s win at Sandy Park, whilst also anticipating a furious response from the Chiefs. The Cherry and Whites make three changes to the pack and three to the back line. In the backs, Jason Woodward, Charlie Sharples and Billy Twelvetrees all return to the starting line-up.
In the forwards, in addition to Mostert making his full debut, Ed Slater comes into the second row and Gareth Evans will line up on the openside flank.
Gloucester Rugby came away with a hard-fought win from Sandy Park last Saturday, but Head Coach Johan Ackermann knows that the Cherry and Whites will have to be better still on Friday evening against a Chiefs side who will be determined to put the record straight.
"But, having analysed the game, we know that it’s not going to be easy, there is still much for us to improve on and a lot of hard work we need to do. We also know that we’ll be up against a side who are very motivated to bounce back.
"We will have played each other three times in four weeks, and you have to tweak a few things but it’s a short turnaround. It’s going to be a big challenge for us as a group because Exeter are a proud side, they won’t take last week’s result lightly and they will come highly motivated."
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VDF was excellent last week and this week. Henshaw was great in the first half. Sam Prendergast tried to "do it all by himself" precisely once, when he did very well but was left unsupported. McCarthy had a mixed game, as did Crowley. Hansen was poor for the second week in a row. How was Casey not on long enough to rate but Baird was considering Baird was on all of a minute? These ratings were phoned in, the author must have been drunk by half-time.
Go to commentsStill only two RCs in fifteen years when we won nearly every year. Win rate in the Rassie era still under 70% when the Henry/Hansen era was over 85%. Best forwards will be too old in 2027. Poor old Rassie has done a fantastic job but that itch ain't going anywhere and it'll be there for the rest of his life 🥴🥴🥴
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