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Gloucester makes four changes for Friday’s visit of Exeter at Kingsholm
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Prop Yann Thomas makes his first league start of the season for the Cherry and Whites
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The Chiefs make just one change to the side that were narrowly beaten by Wasps in the Champions Cup
Gloucester returns to Premiership action at Kingsholm on Friday and makes four changes to their starting line-up for the visit of the Exeter Chiefs.
For the visit of high-flying Exeter, there are three changes to the pack and one new face in the backline.
Up front, Yann Thomas will make his first Premiership start of the season having made 12 appearances off the bench, while Jeremy Thrush and Ross Moriarty return in the second row and back row respectively.
The only change in the backs sees Billy Twelvetrees return in the midfield with Henry Trinder moving to the left wing in place of Steve McColl to accommodate him.
Meanwhile, team news for the Chiefs sees Rob Baxter make just one change to his starting XV from that of last weekend.
A knee injury to Scottish international Moray Low means he misses out this, so Harry Williams is promoted from the bench with Carl Rimmer added to the matchday 23.
Exeter also bowed out of European action last weekend, suffering a heart-breaking last-gasp defeat against Wasps but Gloucester Director of Rugby, David Humphreys, is not expecting that defeat to affect the Devon based outfit.
KEY STATS
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Gloucester have slipped to five straight defeats in all competitions, their worst run since 2012
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At Kingsholm the Cherry and Whites have lost just twice in Aviva Premiership Rugby this season, against Leicester in round 10 and Bath in round 18
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Exeter Chiefs’ last seven encounters in all tournaments have gone with home field advantage
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The Chiefs have won just once on the road since January: 22-15 at London Irish in 21st February
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Exeter beat Gloucester 19-10 at Sandy Park in round 9 and have never before achieved an Aviva Premiership Rugby double over their west country rivals
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The Chiefs most recent victory at Kinsgholm in Premiership Rugby came in December 2012.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Gloucester: Greig Laidlaw
Exeter Chiefs: Olly Woodburn
Gloucester: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Rob Cook, 13 Billy Twelvetrees, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Henry Trinder, 10 James Hook, 9 Greig Laidlaw (c), 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Ross Moriarty, 5 Jeremy Thrush, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Yann Thomas
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Nick Wood, 18 Paul Doran-Jones, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Ollie Thorley, 23 Jacob Rowan
Exeter: 15 Lachlan Turner, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Gareth Steenson (c), 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Don Armand, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ben Moon
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Carl Rimmer, 19 Damian Welch, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Michele Campagnaro, 23 James Short
Date: Friday, April 15
Venue: Kingsholm
Kick-off: 19:45 BST (18:45 GMT)
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant Referees: Robin Goodliffe, Roger Baileff
TMO: Trevor Fisher