Payne preferred to Staunton in Gloucester cauldron

SOUTH African-born Shaun Payne has been thrown into the Kingsholm cauldron for Saturday's Heineken European Cup tie.

Payne takes over the No 15 Munster jersey from Jeremy Staunton, who has paid the penalty for some shaky performances in the earlier matches against Bourgoin and Treviso.

The message was loud and clear when Payne was preferred to Staunton in last week's Celtic League tie against Connacht having also been drafted in for the closing stages in the two previous outings as well.