Hastings to face Benetton as Gloucester change 7 from Exeter loss

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)