Sunday’s LV= Cup final preview

LV= CUP FINAL
Venue: Franklin’s Gardens Date: Sunday 20 March Kick-off: 1530 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and BBC Newcastle, updates on BBC Radio 5 Live & the BBC Sport website. Live on Sky Sports 4 and HD4.

Gloucester start Fiji international Akapusi Qera in the back row in place of Peter Buxton who fractured his arm in their semi-final victory.

The only other change sees Tim Molenar in at centre for Henry Trinder.

Newcastle make three changes to the team that narrowly beat Harlequins 21-20 last week.

Luke Fielden comes in on the left wing, Tane Tu’ipulotu is at outside centre, Luke Eves moves out to the right wing, and Kieran Brookes starts at prop.

Gloucester are heavy favourites

having won their last 10 matches but the Falcons have started winning at the right time with three victories under their belts as they head to Northampton.

But Cherry and Whites head coach Bryan Redpath told BBC Points West the form book will mean little on Sunday.

“We’ve carried a lot of confidence from it our run of form but we’re aware that cup finals are special things and form going into doesn’t always count for a lot.

“We haven’t talked about being favourites but we have to play well and Newcastle have got nothing to lose.”

“They’ll be happy having won the last three games and have shown a great deal of grit and did that with a lack possession in their win last week.”

The North Easterners have the upper hand in match ups between the two clubs this season having seen off the Cherry and Whites in the Premiership.

Their meeting at Kingston Park back in November ended 12-6

to the hosts as fly-half Jimmy Gopperth slotted four penalties.

The final also reunites former Scotland team-mates as Redpath goes up against Falcons coach Alan Tait in the battle to secure their charges a precious Heineken Cup berth for next season.

And Tait is hoping the momentum of their recent form will help enforce the new feel-good factor around Kingston Park.

“I’m really chuffed that we’re through and for the fans really.

“This is a learning curve for me, three weeks ago in the Exeter game I was wondering if I was doing things wong and now here we are.

“We know where we are at with Newcastle and we know the massive squads we’re up against – Gloucester have eight internationals out either injured or involved with England or Scotland – and we could qualify for Europe on Sunday.”

Gloucester: Morgan; Sharples, Molenaar, Fuimaono-Sapolu, Voyce; Robinson, Pasqualin; Wood, Azam, Harden; Hamilton, Brown; Qera, Hazell, Narraway (capt)

Replacements: Dawidiuk, Thomas, Knight, James, Cox, Taylor, Burns, Trinder.

Newcastle: Tait; Fielden, Tu’ipulotu, Fitzpatrick, Eves; Gopperth, Young; Golding, Thompson, Brookes; Hudson (capt), Van der Heijden; Swinson, Wilson, Hogg.

Replacements: Vickers, Shiells, Hall, Levi, Wilson, Charlton, Bobo, Catterick.