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Hastings to face Benetton as Gloucester change 7 from Exeter loss
By Josh Raisey
Scotland fly-half Adam Hastings has returned to the Gloucester squad to face Benetton on Saturday in the Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingsholm after missing the loss to Exeter Chiefs last week in the Gallagher Premiership.
The Glasgow Warriors-bound fly-half is one of seven players to return to the Gloucester starting XV after George Skivington opted to rest him last week for the 38-17 loss to the Chiefs at Kingsholm.
Flanker Lewis Ludlow also returns to the starting XV after being on the bench last week, and will retake the captaincy duties from Zach Mercer, who led the side against the Chiefs.
Ludlow will go toe-to-toe with Benetton and Italy skipper Michele Lamaro in the No7 jersey, who is joined by plenty of his Italy teammates in the team, including the much-vaunted centre partnership of Tommaso Menoncello and Ignacio Brex.
Gloucester will be gunning for their second final of the season with a victory having already won the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Gloucester XV
15. Josh Hathaway
14. Jonny May
13. Chris Harris
12. Seb Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley
10. Adam Hastings
9. Caolan Englefiled
1. Mayco Vivas
2. Seb Blake
3. Kirill Gotovtsev
4. Freddie Clarke
5. Freddie Thomas
6. Ruan Ackermann
7. Lewis Ludlow (C)
8. Zach Mercer
Replacements
16. Santi Socino
17. Jamal Ford-Robinson
18. Ciaran Knight
19. Albert Tuisue
20. Jack Clement
21. Stephen Varney
22. Charlie Atkinson
23. Alex Hearle
Benetton XV
15 Rhyno Smith (51)
14 Ignacio Mendy (23)
13 Tommaso Menoncello (41)
12 Ignacio Brex (80)
11 Onisi Ratave (22)
10 Tomas Albornoz (49)
9 Alessandro Garbisi (44)
1 Thomas Gallo (56)
2 Giacomo Nicotera (40)
3 Simone Ferrari (103)
4 Scott Scrafton (11)
5 Eli Snyman (41)
6 Sebastian Negri (82)
7 Michele Lamaro (C) (66)
8 Toa Halafihi (72)
Replacements
16 Gianmarco Lucchesi (44)
17 Mirco Spagnolo (15)
18 Giosué Zilocchi (15)
19 Niccolò Cannone (72)
20 Edoardo Iachizzi (12)
21 Alessandro Izekor (31)
22 Andy Uren (19 )
23 Leonardo Marin (22)
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Latest Comments
(I don't actually think England should do this, given Chessum, Itoje, and Martin are so good. I guess CCS could be the fourth choice lock, and an injury crisis at lock could see CCS, Curry, Underhill, and Earl all on the field at once).
Go to commentsTasty question SK, but yes more of a sibling rivalry with Aussie, elder vs. younger brother!
England has to be Grandad [for everyone!], but a bit of a Bad Santa and not always loveable.
I am not convinced that they would not gain more from a potential tour win in 2025 with all of their players involved than by withdrawing them and saying 'se ya in 2027' though.
The French national team was cut a huge amount of slack by LNR to prepare for a home RWC in 2023 and look how that turned out. So I am not sure French self-interest leads in the same direction as Galthie thinks it does.
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