Gloucester's growing absentee list has been compounded by England's decision to release Delon Armitage and Nick Kennedy to play for London Irish this weekend.

While Gloucester's England trio – Olly Morgan, Mike Tindall and Luke Narraway – will remain with the national squad in Portugal, the Exiles duo are returning to this country to prepare for Saturday's match at Kingsholm.

They have been released for club duty as the England management feel they need game-time ahead of the Six Nations Championship after recent injuries.

The decision to release the pair, who were in fine form before injury, is an additional blow to Gloucester, who have had a disastrous start to the week.

The majority of their players only arrived back at home at about 9pm on Monday after their early-morning flight out of France on Saturday was grounded due to high winds.

And they are training without a host of international stars this week, with Marco Bortolami, Carlos Nieto, Gareth Cooper, Alasdair Strokosch, Alasdair Dickinson and Rory Lawson not due back at the club until Thursday.

Will James, meanwhile, has joined an injury list which also includes Akapusi Qera, Greg Somerville and Lesley Vainikolo, while head coach Dean Ryan will make late decisions on whether to include Andy Hazell, Peter Buxton and Gareth Delve after lengthy lay-offs.

"With the amount of injuries we've got – and the fact we have lost England players – having a game this weekend is not ideal," said Ryan. "The original fixture, scheduled for the EDF Energy Cup semi-final weekend, would have seen us go in with a full complement so we would have been slightly stronger.

"But there's no point speculating, we have got a game this weekend and we have to get on with it. We have to put out the best group we can get together and hopefully get a result."

Gloucester have lost their last three matches – against Newcastle, Cardiff Blues and Biarritz – and now face a side who beat them 42-12 little more than five weeks ago.

"I don't think we need to overreact – we've had three weeks of horrendous weather conditions, we've lost six or seven of our key guys that operate in those conditions and it has proved to be difficult for us," said Ryan.

"We are not hiding from that, but there's also no point in overreacting."

Newcastle No 8 Phil Dowson will captain England Saxons against Portugal at Edgeley Park on Friday night.

The Saxons team will be announced on Wednesday, with Bath pair Nick Abendanon and Nathan Catt and Bristol man Ed Barnes all hoping to be selected.