Mefin Davies, Adam Balding and Jake Boer are all back for Gloucester.
Guinness Premiership, Welford Road, Saturday November 12, KO 15.00
Gloucester have included a great deal of experience in their squad to face Leicester, including the returning trio of Mefin Davies, Adam Balding and Jake Boer.
Davies is available after being left out of the Wales setup for their clash with Fiji, and he starts at hooker, alongside Gary Powell.
There is also a place in the first XV for Balding, who will make only his second start of the season after suffering an unfortunate fractured cheekbone on the opening day of the campaign.
His presence shifts Peter Buxton into the second row at the expense of Quinton Davids, and coach Dean Ryan explained to the club website that the decision was purely tactical.
"Quinton Davids is not injured and he has not been dropped. We have worked on combinations specifically for this game and that is why the change has been made."
Meanwhile, Boer will take a place on the bench after recovering from a toe injury in time for the crunch match at Welford Road, which sees 4th entertain 3rd.
There is one significant change to the backline, where Peter Richards has been given the nod ahead of Haydn Thomas at scrum half.
Ryan is looking to his talented youngster to unsettle the Tigers' rearguard, and he explaineded: "I have said for a number of weeks that Peter Richards just needed some game time and that he plays a major part in the squad.
"We feel this weekend he offers us a great deal at the front of the game rather than from the bench.
Leicester Tigers have received a much-needed boost ahead of their clash with Gloucester, with two England squad members returning to the fold.
Andy Goode and Ollie Smith were both released earlier in the week as Andy Robinson culled his squad to a matchday 22, but England's loss is Leicester's gain as they aim to leapfrog the Cherry-and-Whites.
Goode will resume at fly half in place of Ross Broadfoot, whilst Smith's presence forces Leon Lloyd out wide in place of benched winger Alesana Tuilagi.
Elsewhere, the backline remains the same, which means Sam Vesty has another chance to show what he can do in the full back role vacated by Ireland's Geordan Murphy.
More changes come in the forwards, where Tom Croft makes his first Tigers start alongside Brett Deacon and the returning Shane Jennings.
Darren Morris is also given a starting birth as he and Alex Moreno swap places after last week's defeat to Worcester.
Will Johnson could make the bench but he is struggling against a foot injury. Will Skinner stands by.
Leicester team: 15 Sam Vesty, 14 Leon Lloyd, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Dan Hipkiss, 11 Tom Varndell, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Austin Healey; 1 Michael Holford, 2 George Chuter, 3 Darren Morris, 4 Leo Cullen, 5 Ben Kay, 6 Tom Croft, 7 Shane Jennings, 8 Brett Deacon
Replacements from: James Buckland, Luke Abraham, Alex Moreno, James Hamilton, Will Johnson, Will Skinner, Neil Cole, Ross Broadfoot, Alesana Tuilagi
Gloucester team: 15 Olly Morgan; 14 Mark Foster, 13 James Simpson-Daniel, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Rob Thirlby; 10 Ludovic Mercier, 9 Peter Richards; 1 Patrice Collazo, 2 Mefin Davies, 3 Gary Powell, 4 Adam Eustace, 5 Peter Buxton (capt), 6 Adam Balding, 7 Andy Hazell, 8 James Forrester
Replacements: James Parkes, Terry Sigley, Mark Cornwell, Jake Boer, Haydn Thomas, Brad Davies, Terry Fanolua.
