GLOUCESTER play their fourth and final West Country Challenge Cup fixture this weekend (Memorial Stadium, Bristol, 3pm) against the Exeter Chiefs, and have named a side featuring a host of first regulars.

It's the second time that Gloucester have staged a fixture at the Mem this preseason, with Kingsholm currently being used for Rugby World Cup fixtures. The first saw the Cherry and Whites defeat Bath Rugby by 50 points to seven.

With the first weekend of Aviva Premiership action just a fortnight away, Gloucester will field a strong starting XV whilst also naming a larger than usual number of replacements.

Billy Twelvetrees will skipper the side and once again turn out at fly half with James Hook having been called up by Wales. He will partner Willi Heinz at half-back, the New Zealander making his first start of preseason.

Also returning after missing out at Bath last weekend is openside flanker Matt Kvesic.

Director of rugby David Humphreys stressed that the game is very important as it represents a last opportunity to try some things out before the competitive action kicks off in a fortnight.

He said: "Everybody in the squad is now ready to start playing. It's been a long preseason, we've got a lot of work done.

"Everybody's got that competitive edge which means that they want to be involved in the big games. So, we know that this weekend against a very strong Exeter Chiefs team will be a really good test for us prior to Newcastle.

"It's about ironing out some of those fine details, it's about giving some combinations a little bit more game time, someone like Willi Heinz for example, in the build up to what's going to be a very long season.”

Gloucester Rugby: Rob Cook; Charlie Sharples, Bill Meakes, Mark Atkinson, Henry Purdy; Billy Twelvetrees (capt), Willi Heinz; Paddy McAllister, Darren Dawidiuk, John Afoa; Tom Savage, Elliott Stooke; Jacob Rowan, Matt Kvesic, Gareth Evans

Replacements: Tom Lindsay, Yann Thomas, Paul Doran-Jones, Tom Hicks, Dan Thomas, Callum Braley, Steve McColl, Olly Thorley, Nicky Thomas, Alex Craig, Lewis Ludlow, Mat Protheroe