Gloucester welcome back a number of players from injury for the visit of Exeter Chiefs to Kingsholm (kick-off 7.45pm) in Friday evening’s Gallagher Premiership encounter.

The Cherry and Whites have had to cope with a lengthy injury list over the past couple of months, but several players are named in the starting line-up having missed out recently, including Ruan Ackermann, Tom Marshall and Jason Woodward.

Ackermann has been out since early November, Marshall since mid-October and Woodward since the win at Newcastle on 23rd December. Their returns are all a boost for Gloucester who are seeking to consolidate their challenge for a top four finish.

Also named in the matchday squad for the first time since early December is hooker James Hanson.

It’s the first Gallagher Premiership action since early January and Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann acknowledged that the return to domestic action is timely.

"Personally, I think that the break came at the right time,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a bit of an advantage in the sense that we’ve got a few players back from injury.

"It’s given us some new energy. The guys, apart from the ones who played at Bath, had a few days off before spending the last two weeks preparing for this game."

It’s a key phase of the season for Gloucester with the two top teams in the table, Exeter Chiefs and Saracens, coming to Kingsholm in successive weeks. Ackermann admits home advantage could be significant.

"We’re thankful that both games are at home, we want to make Kingsholm a tough place to come to and know that the crowd will be behind us and want to thank them for that,” he said.

"The reality is that the next two weeks are massive against the two leading sides in the competition, teams that have been setting the tone in the Premiership and in Europe for some time now.

"It will be a massive challenge, they have excellent coaches and players. If you ever want to be tested at the highest level, these two games will do that. The table is so tight that we have to fight for every point over the next 10 games. That’s why this competition is so tough."

England meanwhile have kept hold of six of Exeter’s key personnel – Ben Moon, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Harry Williams, Ollie Devoto, Jack Nowell and Henry Slade – but they do have at their disposal Welsh tighthead Tomas Francis, who having not featured against Italy last weekend will be looking to make his mark at Kingsholm.

Gloucester: 15. Jason Woodward; 14. Tom Marshall, 13. Billy Twelvetrees, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Ollie Thorley; 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Willi Heinz (capt); 1. Josh Hohneck, 2. Franco Marais, 3. Fraser Balmain; 4. Tom Savage, 5. Franco Mostert; 6. Freddie Clarke, 7. Ruan Ackermann, 8. Ben Morgan. Replacements: 16. James Hanson, 17. Paddy McAllister, 18. Ciaran Knight, 19. Gerbrandt Grobler, 20. Lewis Ludlow, 21. Callum Braley, 22. Owen Williams, 23. Matt Banahan. Unavailable for selection: Ruan Dreyer, Todd Gleave, Tom Hudson, Jaco Kriel, Jake Polledri, Henry Purdy, Val Rapava Ruskin, Charlie Sharples.

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman; 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Tom O’Flaherty; 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Nic White; 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Jack Yeandle (capt), 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Dave Dennis, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Sean Lonsdale, 8 Matt Kvesic. Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Billy Keast, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Mitch Lees, 20 Richard Capstick, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Tom Hendrickson.