Captain Vos back for Harlequins

Harlequins, currently bottom of the Zurich Premiership, host Gloucester at the Stoop Memorial Ground on Saturday, hoping desperately for a win to take them off the bottom of the Zurich Premiership table. back from injury is their captain André Vos, once the Springboks' captain.

An ankle injury kept Vos out for three matches but he is back on the flank, which means that Luke Sherriff goes to the bench.

Jim Evans makes his first start of the season having recovered from a dislocated shoulder he suffered in pre-season training. He locks the scrum with All Blacks Simon Maling.

Mike Worsley starts at loosehead while Ceri Jones moves to tighthead and Jon Dawson to the bench.

Dafydd James is out with a dead leg and is replaced by the promising, versatile young Irishman Gavin Duffy in the centre Tom Williams comes in at fullback.

Mark Evans, NEC Harlequins Chief Executive, said: With five of our remaining eight games being at the Stoop, it is important we make home advantage count when it comes our way and if we do so, then we have an excellent chance of getting ourselves away from the foot of table.

However, Gloucester will want the league points on offer tomorrow as much as we do, given that they still have a good chance of claiming a top three finish. Their combative pack of forwards will be led by the likes of Jake Boer and Alex Brown, whilst behind the scrum Henry Paul, Andy Gomarsall and James Simpson-Daniel will all be out to enhance their claims for a return to the England squad.

NEC Harlequins: 15 Tom Williams, 14 Simon Keogh, 13 Gavin Duffy, 12 Mel Deane, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Jeremy Staunton, 9 Steve Sooialo, 8 Tony Diprose, 7 André Vos (captain), 6 Nick Easter, 5 Simon Maling, 4 Jim Evans, 3 Ceri Jones,2 Ace Tiatia, 1 Mike Worsley
Replacements: 16 James Hayter, 17 Jon Dawson, 18 Simon Miall, 19 Roy Winters, 20 Luke Sherriff, 21 Henry Barratt, 22 Andy Reay

Date: Saturday, 5 February 2005
Kick-off: 14.00
Venue: Stoop Memorial Ground
Expected weather conditions: Overcast with a high of 9°C, dropping to 4°C, and a wind from the south of 21 km/h
Referee: Ashley Rowden
Touch judges: Huw Jones Williams, Andy Melrose
Assessor: Tony Trigg