Gloucester have retained just four players from the starting line-up in Montpellier last weekend for the Gallagher Premiership clash at Harlequins on Sunday.

Three of those are in the backs, with Louis Rees-Zammit, Chris Harris and Ollie Thorley keeping their spots. Meanwhile, in the pack, only Alex Craig is retained.

As such, there are returns for Tom Marshall, Mark Atkinson, Danny Cipriani and Joe Simpson to the back line.

Meanwhile, in the pack, Val Rapava Ruskin, Franco Marais and Jamal Ford-Robinson form a new front row and there’s a first start of the season for World Cup winner Franco Mostert alongside Alex Craig in the second row.
Ruan Ackermann, Lewis Ludlow and Ben Morgan will make up a new-look back row with Morgan captaining the side.

“We didn’t play well in our last Premiership games against Leicester and Saracens, we all know that,” said head coach Johan Ackermann. “We have played better in the last two weeks even though the results haven’t reflected it. But I felt that the intent was back, the urgency was there.

“So now we really have to put in an 80-minute performance. We can’t have any more excuses on a Monday morning. We have to make other teams be better than us, because at the moment we’ve been making mistakes and other teams capitalise on it. We’ve had opportunities, we haven’t been outplayed.

“It’s now time for a performance, and I know that Harlequins are going to feel the same. They’re a quality side and had a good win last weekend. It’s not going to be easy, but I feel it’s time for us to be good from the start, from the set-piece through to our attacking game.”

Gloucester: 15. Tom Marshall; 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Ollie Thorley; 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Joe Simpson; 1. Val Rapava-Ruskin, 2. Franco Marais, 3. Jamal Ford-Robinson; 4. Alex Craig, 5. Franco Mostert; 6. Ruan Ackermann, 7. Lewis Ludlow, 8. Ben Morgan (capt). Replacements: 16. Corné Fourie, 17. Josh Hohneck, 18. Fraser Balmain, 19. Freddie Clarke, 20. Jake Polledri, 21. Callum Braley, 22. Billy Twelvetrees, 23. Matt Banahan. Unavailable for selection: Ruan Dreyer, James Hanson, Willi Heinz, Jaco Kriel, Ed Slater, Henry Trinder, Owen Williams, Jason Woodward