SUBTLETY will be in short supply for Gloucester's vital Premiership clash against Saracens at Kingsholm tomorrow.
Boss Nigel Davies has lumped all his brutal ball-carriers into the back five of his forward pack for Gloucester's final home game of the season (kick-off 3pm).
Impressive back-five operator Tom Savage assumes the captaincy for the second time this season – increasing still further his chances of becoming Gloucester's club skipper next term.
Savage slots in alongside Lua Lokotui in an imposing second-row unit, moving up from the back-row to accommodate fit-again Ben Morgan.
Jim Hamilton was not able to beat his ankle trouble in time to make his Kingsholm farewell before joining Montpellier in the summer.
Rugby director Davies will demand the back-five of his potent pack smash big craters straight down centre-field tomorrow – to cosh Saracens into submission, before releasing the likes of Jonny May and Charlie Sharples out wide.
Billy Twelvetrees and Henry Trinder pair up in the centres, with Ryan Mills covering from the bench, with player/backs coach Mike Tindall not making the squad.
Shaun Knight's ongoing knee tendon trouble has eased enough for him to return at tighthead, with Yann Thomas covering from the bench.
Dario Chistolini has not been able to beat the concussion that he suffered in last Friday's 32-9 Sale defeat.
Saracens start former England fly-half Charlie Hodgson at ten, with Owen Farrell at inside centre.
If allowed that axis will control territory and field position through pinpoint tactical kicking.
And everyone knows what Hodgson can do with ball in hand shredding the gain-line.
But Davies will send his big marauding runners straight down Saracens' ten channel, in a bid to exploit Hodgson's long-standing susceptibilities in defence.
GLOUCESTER: R Cook, C Sharples, H Trinder, B Twelvetrees, J May, F Burns, D Robson, N Wood, K Britton, S Knight, T Savage (capt), L Lokotui, S Kalamafoni, A Qera, B Morgan. Replacements: T d'Apice, D Murphy, Y Thomas, P Buxton, A Hazell, D Lewis, R Mills, M Thomas.
SARACENS: A Goode, C Wyles, J Tomkins, O Farrell, D Strettle, C Hodgson, R Wigglesworth, R Gill, J Smit, M Stevens, S Borthwick (capt), A Hargreaves, J Wray, W Fraser, E Joubert. Replacements: J George, M Vunipola, C Nieto, G Kruis, J Burger, B Spencer, D Taylor, J Maddock.
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