Leaders Gloucester will be without attacking talisman James Simpson-Daniel when they continue their quest to reach the Guinness Premiership play-offs today, writes Matt Cain.

Head coach Dean Ryan says losing the dynamic try-scorer is "significant" as his team prepare for a Welford Road appointment with fifth-placed Leicester.

Simpson-Daniel scored two tries during a thrilling victory over Bath last Saturday, but an injury to his side means he is absent this weekend.

Ryan said: "To lose a player of Simpson-Daniel's quality for a game of this magnitude is significant, because he is such an attacking threat from either the wing or centre.

"We saw his effectiveness last week. But we are in pretty reasonable shape considering the injuries we have been suffering."

Gloucester may have lost their last three matches against Leicester - but those three matches, including last season's play-off, have been at Kingsholm.

The Cherry and Whites' recent record at Welford Road stands at three victories from their last four visits.

The Gloucester head coach said: "I don't think we'll have any problems with motivation. We have a pretty good record at Welford Road.

"We will probably adjust our game. Welford Road is a much smaller pitch, they have a much more physical front five and that is something we have to take into account.

"Leicester and Gloucester have been one of the top sides for a number of years. This is a fixture that always stands out."

Leicester will be without half backs Harry Ellis and Toby Flood, who have not been released by England this week ahead of next weekend's Six Nations Championship clash with France.

But Ryan reckons Leicester, who won 31-28 at London Irish last weekend, will be more dangerous with Sam Vesty and Julien Dupuy controlling play.

"Leicester have played some of their better stuff with those guys around. I think they are both competent players," he added.

"They are more adept at moving the team around than you would with a traditional Leicester team. I don't think this is a massive loss."

But Gloucester themselves have hit top gear following last weekend's 36-27 success in the West Country derby against Bath at Kingsholm.

"Bath definitely played their part last Saturday but for us it was confirmation that things we have been working on are starting to take shape," added Ryan.

"There were fundamentals in our game that turned up last weekend and enabled us to execute our game off the back of them and that is very important. Those are the levels that are demanded in those games and they will be again against a very good side, who we know from experience are durable, very competitive and carry a threat.

"But we have been able to load our week with specific Leicester detail for another extremely big occasion."

Olly Barkley comes into the side as Simpson-Daniel's replacement and Anthony Allen moves to outside centre.

Gloucester are boosted by the return from England of back row forward Luke Narraway with Apo Satala away with Fiji Sevens.

The Cherry and Whites include four forward internationals, Andy Titterell, prop Carlos Nieto, Marco Bortolami and Alasdair Strokosch, on the bench.

Leicester: G Murphy; S Hamilton, M Smith, A Mauger (capt), A Tuilagi; S Vesty, J Dupuy; M Ayerza, B Kayser, J White, L Deacon, B Kay, T Croft, B Woods, B Pienaar. Reps: M Davies, M Castrogiovanni, M Wentzel, D Hemingway, B Youngs, D Hougaard, A Erinle.

Gloucester: O Morgan; I Balshaw, A Allen, O Barkley, C Sharples; C Spencer, R Lawson; N Wood, O Azam, G Somerville, A Eustace, A Brown, L Narraway, A Hazell, G Delve. Reps: A Titterrell, C Nieto, M Bortolami, A Strokosch, R Lamb, H Trinder, M Foster.