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Gloucester star Willi Heinz set for return from long-term injury layoff

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Willi Heinz will make his first appearance since England’s crushing World Cup semi-final victory over New Zealand when Gloucester host Worcester in the Gallagher Premiership.

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Heinz suffered a significant hamstring injury in the latter stages of the All Blacks rout, forcing Eddie Jones’ second choice scrum-half to sit out the final.

The 33-year-old has been in rehabilitation since but returns as captain for the west country derby against the Warriors on Friday night.

Continue reading below…

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Also back in action is his half-back partner Danny Cipriani, who was rested for the narrow defeat by Connacht last weekend.

Gloucester are playing their 500th Premiership match and are seeking an improvement against Worcester after winning only two of their five league games this season.

“We respect Worcester and their coaching staff and what they’ve achieved – they’ve got quality players,” head coach Johan Ackermann said.

“But it all starts with us. We have to look at ourselves and tick the boxes that we want to.

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“We’ve scored a lot of tries recently including some very good tries. Hopefully we’ll get some more and the supporters will enjoy it.”

Worcester hooker Matt Moulds is named captain on his Premiership debut after Niall Annett was ruled out by a shoulder injury.

– Press Association

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M
MA 4 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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