TEAM NEWS: GLOUCESTER v SHARKS
Flying Fijian Ponipate Loganimasi will make his Sharks debut at Kingsholm as Alex Sanderson makes 12 changes to his team following the PREM Rugby Cup win over Bath.
Alex Lozowski switches from fly-half to outside centre, while forwards Tye Raymont and Sam Dugdale also keep their places in a side which features ten Sharks Academy graduates.
New signing Christ Tshiunza will start the game against George Skivington’s team from the bench after coming on with just ten minutes on the clock in the round one fixture.
The Sharks Director of Rugby has shuffled his pack as his team build up to the new season, making two changes to his front row for the trip to the south-west. Academy tighthead Raymont, who scored his first Sharks try last time out, starts alongside hooker Alfie Longstaff and loosehead Ralph McEachran.
It’s all change in the second row as Tom Burrow returns from injury to start alongside Reuben Logan. In the back row, Sam Dugdale switches to number eight, with Jos Gilmore and Tristan Woodman coming into the flanker positions.
Dom Hanson and Ollie Davies will be the starting half-backs and they’ll have skipper Marius Louw and former Saracen Lozowski outside them in the centres.
Loganimasi starts his first Sharks game on the left wing with Tom O’Flaherty on the right and Luke James at full-back.
After starting against Bath, Nathan Jibulu is the replacement hooker with Bevan Rodd and Patreece Bell the props in reserve.
Tshiunza and Dylan Hodgkinson are the other forwards on the bench with scrum-half Gus Warr, Toby Wilson and Alex Wills making up the rest of the replacements.
Starting XV:
15. Luke James, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Marius Louw ©, 11. Ponipate Loganimasi, 10. Ollie Davies, 9. Dom Hanson; 1. Ralph McEachran, 2. Alfie Longstaff, 3. Tye Raymont, 4. Reuben Logan, 5. Tom Burrow, 6. Jos Gilmore, 7. Tristan Woodman, 8. Sam Dugdale.
16. Nathan Jibulu, 17. Bevan Rodd, 18. Patreece Bell, 19. Christ Tshiunza, 20. Dylan Hodgkinson, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Toby Wilson, 23. Alex Wills.
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