There are no changes to the starting line-up of the team that played against Leicester last weekend. Unavailable for selection through injury are Nick Greenstock (hamstring) and Rob Hoadley (knee).

Commenting on Sunday's game Head Coach, Gary Gold said, "We face a stern test from Gloucester who were the best team in the land last season. There was a feeling amongst the squad that we underperformed against Leicester last weekend, we are determined to put that right on Sunday."

RETURN OF THE CRAIC!

Don't forget to get down to the Madejski Stadium early on Sunday as the entertainment starts at 12 noon, with performances from the Hothouse Flowers, Malachi, Le Chéile and riverway, Irish Dancing from the Dunlop Academy and a bouncy castle! 

The Megastore will be open as usual from 12 noon until 6pm, (closed during the game) to give you plenty of opportunity to buy your new shirt! 

SEASON TICKET SMARTCARDS

Please note the procedure for the smartcards for this weekend.  All Season Ticket holders, who have renewed, will have last season's card validated for use at the turnstiles.  Should the card not work at the turnstiles, there will be stewards on hand to assist you in gaining access to the Stadium.

If you have mislaid or lost your smartcard, you will need to get this reproduced, via the Ticket Hotline on 0118 968 1000.  Please note that there is a charge of £10 for reproduction of the smartcards.

ZURICH PREMIERSHIP DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

This competition, which will see each of the twelve Premiership Clubs represented, will commence in December this year due to the World Cup. The London Irish team will be made up of promising Academy players as well as senior squad members who have not played in the 1st XV.

The objective is to give emerging Academy players the opportunity to train and play with and against elite players from the senior squads on a regular basis. The league will provide high standard and competitive rugby, week in week out, and a real taste of what playing in the Premiership is like.

There will be a North and a South Conference with the winner of the North Conference playing off against the second placed from the South Conference and vice versa. The South Conference, in which London Irish will play, contains the four London clubs as well as Bath and Gloucester. All matches will be played on Monday nights both home and away.

The Zurich Premiership Development League Final will be a curtain raiser for the Zurich Premiership Final in May 2004.

This Saturday, the Development XV are playing Exeter at Sunbury, kick off 2pm.  The team is as follows -

1   Doug Wheatley
2   James Greenwood
3   Rhys Buckler
4   Kevin Burke
5   Nick Kennedy
6   Declan Danaher
7   Mike Haslett (Capt.)
8   Ollie Hoad
9   Kevin Brennan
10 Ross Laidlaw
11 Delon Armitage
12 Neil Whitworth
13 Jason Luff
14 Topsy Ojo
15 Ed Thrower

Replacements - James Campbell, David Paice, Tom Doran, Gary Johnson, Richard Thorpe, Tom Carruthers, Paddy Gill

IRISH TRAIN WITH THE ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD

London Irish provided the opposition for the England World Cup squad this afternoon when they played a series of 'mini-matches' at the national team's training headquarters at Pennyhill Park in Surrey.

The two and half hour session was designed to test the attacking and defensive strategies that Clive Woodward and Andy Robinson have been working on with the national squad in a reasonably realistic training situation. All fit members of both squads had an opportunity for a demanding run-out on the beautiful pitch.

London Irish supporters will be pleased to learn that the team did themselves justice against their experienced opponents!

Clive and Andy thanked Gary Gold, Paul Hull and the players for what the England Head Coach described as "an excellent session."

AN INTERVIEW WITH .....

This week is the turn of Paul Gustard.  We are looking for your burning questions to ask the players, and next week Kevin Barrett will be interviewed.  E-mail your questions for him to info@london-irish.com

LISC AWAY TRAVEL - NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Saturday 11th October 2003, kick-off 3.00pm

Coach and Ticket arrangements:

Depart Sunbury - 10.30am
Depart 'The Swan' - 11.15am
Depart Reading Station - 11.30am

Depart Northampton and return to above - 6.00pm

Fare: LISC members £12.50 per person
Non members £17.50 per person (incls membership fee)

Bookings to Clare or Tony at St Clare's Travel
telephone: 01344 641524
email: tony.stclares@ntlworld.com

Payment must be made at time of booking, payments by C/C accepted subject to 50p surcharge.
In the event of cancellation or no show, refunds will NOT be made

TICKETS
Our allocation is in the South Stand and prices are as follows:

Adults - £18.00 per person
16 - 18yrs and OAPs - £14.00
Junior - £10.00 per person

To cover costs there will be a service charge of £1.00 per transaction for match tickets.  Bookings to Clare or Tony as above.  First come first served. 

LONDON IRISH APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

London Irish has appointed Peter Adams as Director of Finance and Company Secretary with immediate effect.

Peter (50), an experienced international businessman and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, will be responsible for all aspects of the club's financial and company secretarial requirements. Prior to joining London Irish Peter held a number of senior management positions, including an appointment as European Operations Director of Entrust, an Internet security software company.

Announcing the appointment, Conor O'Shea, the club's Managing Director said, "Managing the financial and legal aspects of London Irish's operations is more important than ever. We are pleased to have found someone of Peter's calibre to take on this vital role."

Peter is married with two children and lives in Weybridge, Surrey. He is an enthusiastic rugby supporter and has had a long association with London Irish's friends and neighbours, Staines RFC.

THE BLARNEY

Over 5,300 people have currently subscribed to the Blarney; do you forward this to your mates? Or do you print it out and pass it around? Well, why not provide us with their e-mail address so that they can receive their own personal copy. E-mail Jon Salinger (jon.salinger@london-irish.com) with e-mail addresses. Let us try and spread the word of London Irish to a much greater audience.