Looking to get back to winning ways in the Aviva Premiership after their surprise defeat at Worcester Warrirors six days ago, Gloucester make five changes to their starting line-up for the clash with Wasps at Kingsholm tomorrow (kick-off 2.30pm).

It’s one of the key clashes in the Premiership this weekend with third-placed Wasps visiting fourth-placed Gloucester with the Cherry and Whites looking to consolidate a place in the play-off places.

Charlie Sharples is back from injury and takes his usual berth on the right wing while Mark Atkinson comes in to partner Billy Twelvetrees in midfield and Callum Braley gets the nod at scrum-half.

In the pack, Richard Hibbard will start at hooker in place of James Hanson while Ed Slater will partner Mariano Galarza in the second row and will captain the side.

Head coach Johan Ackermann stressed that Gloucester will learn the lessons from last week as well as the previous meeting with Wasps this season, at the Ricoh back in December.

“Worcester was a missed opportunity, we let ourselves down and, at the end of the day, it was just down to the way we approached it,” said Ackermann. “We let it slip in that first half when they played well and we didn’t pitch up. It was a hard lesson to learn and hopefully one we won’t repeat this season.

“Every game is important and we as a group realise that. The important thing for me is for us to stay in the moment. We were disappointed last week but this is a new day, a new week. We have to lift ourselves up, get our heads up as there’s still a lot to play for.

“Up to half-time at Wasps we were really in it. There were a few crucial moments in that game. We had a five metre attacking lineout at the start of the second half and just lost that ball. I believe that if we’d won that lineout and built pressure, we could have extended our lead.

“The other big moment came when we were building decent phases in attack in their 22, lost the ball at a ruck and Youngs picked it up and basically ran the full length of the field. Then we started to chase the game and made more errors.

“We were really competitive until then, but the reality is that, when you play sides like Wasps, you have to play for the full 80 minutes and have to be quite clinical and that’s where we have to improve.”

Gloucester: 15. Jason Woodward, 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Billy Twelvetrees, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Henry Trinder, 10. Billy Burns, 9. Callum Braley, 1. Josh Hohneck, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. John Afoa, 4. Ed Slater (capt), 5. Mariano Galarza, 6. Jake Polledri, 7. Lewis Ludlow, 8. Ruan Ackermann. Replacements: 16. Motu Matu’u, 17. Paddy McAllister, 18. Fraser Balmain, 19. Tom Savage, 20. Freddie Clarke, 21. Ben Vellacott, 22. Matt Scott, 23. David Halaifonua. Unavailable for selection: Lloyd Evans, James Hanson, Willi Heinz, Tom Marshall, Ben Morgan, Ross Moriarty, Henry Purdy, Val Rapava Ruskin, Jacob Rowan, Andy Symons, Ollie Thorley