Gloucester Rugby will welcome back Wales international Max Llewellyn as they kick off their Investec Champions Cup campaign against Castres Olympique at Kingsholm this Sunday. Llewellyn, versatile across centre and wing positions, faces strong competition for a starting spot amid impressive midfield form from Seb Atkinson and Will Joseph, and the revitalized try-scoring prowess of Ollie Thorley, fresh off a 26-15 Gallagher Premiership victory over Harlequins. Despite a solid comeback performance, debutant Rob Russell looks the most likely to make way.
Director of Rugby George Skivington confirmed that while Llewellyn is the sole new injury returner available for this match, the squad’s recent injury absentees like Lewis Ludlow and Val Rapava-Ruskin have successfully returned to action without setback.
Encouragingly, further players are progressing in their recovery. Arthur Clarke and Jack Clement have resumed training, although they won’t feature against Castres yet, as they are being carefully reintegrated. Additionally, Jamal Ford-Robinson has begun light training sessions, signaling hope for their future availability.
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Skivington also anticipates a short-term absence for hooker Jack Innard, sidelined with a ‘stringer’ injury to his shoulder and neck, but expects his return soon.
Meanwhile, scrum-half Caolan Englefield faces a longer recovery after sustaining a shoulder injury while representing England A against Spain. Without need for surgery, Englefield is expected to be out until the new year, placing significant responsibility on Tomos Williams. Williams may require rest either this weekend or in the following game at Munster due to World Rugby regulations on player workload following autumn internationals.
Young talent is stepping up to fill the gaps, with Mikey Austin impressing in the Premiership Rugby Cup and 21-year-old Rhys Price, dual-registered with Hartpury, developing steadily. Skivington is optimistic about his depth at scrum-half: “Rhys is developing nicely in the background, and Mikey’s proven his quality. We’ve been pleased with their progress and expect to see more from them soon.”
The Gloucester Rugby vs Castres Olympique match kicks off at 3:15 pm this Sunday at Kingsholm, marking an exciting start to their Champions Cup journey.