April Fools' Blues
Twelvetrees
By Cherry Picker
March 31 2017
An 8.05 pm kick off time is a bit of a joke for those of us who like a leisurely pint or several after a game rather than before it .... but TV is in charge these days so we will just have to get on with it. And providing we beat Cardiff Blues we won't be too bothered ...
The Challenge Cup looks like our best route to getting European Championship rugby for Mr C. Fearns next season, and the home game provides a wonderful opprtunity of getting to the semi.
So it's the strongest possible squad which has been seected to take on Blues - who lost by only one point to Leinster in their last game.
David Halaifonua and Andrew Symons are out with injuries so Charlie Sharples and Billy Twelvetrees return and Ross Moriarty replaces Sione Kalamafoni.
Gloucs:
15. Tom Marshall; 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Henry Trinder, 12. Billy Twelvetrees, 11. Jonny May; 10. Billy Burns, 9. Willi Heinz (captain; 1. Paddy McAllister, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. Josh Hohneck; 4. Tom Savage, 5. Jeremy Thrush; 6. Ross Moriarty, 7. Jacob Rowan, 8. Ben Morgan
Reps: 16. Motu Matu'u, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. John Afoa, 19. Mariano Galarza, 20. Lewis Ludlow, 21. Callum Braley, 22. Mark Atkinson, 23. Henry Purdy.
Cardiff have the luxury of being able to recall Sam Warburton and are pretty much up to full stregth.
Blues: Matthew Morgan; Alex Cuthbert, Rey Lee-Lo, Steve Shingler, Blaine Scully; Gareth Anscombe, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Kristian Dacey, Taufa'ao Filise, George Earle, Jarrad Hoeata, Sam Warburton, Josh Navidi, Nick Williams.
Reps: Matthew Rees, Corey Domachowski, Kieron Assiratti, Macauley Cook, Sion Bennett, Tomos Williams, Willis Halaholo, Aled Summerhill.