Iain Balshaw looks set for a surprise fly-half starting role for relegation-haunted Bath at London Irish tonight.

Balshaw, who has spent the season trying to restore his reputation following a dismal Lions tour, turned in an eye-catching display when he stepped into the position for the last 20 minutes of his side's previous outing against Northampton.

And, with time running out in the battle for survival, new Recreation Ground coach Michael Foley looks likely to give Balshaw the chance to lead the west country side out of trouble at the Madejski Stadium at the expense of Olly Barkley.

"We have been working on a few things in training and we want to play our best team in every game," said the former Wallaby hooker.

"But if we do decide to switch things it won't be any reflection on what Olly has done."

With Mike Catt and Matt Perry out with long-term injuries, Barkley has struggled to maintain the promise he showed on last summer's England tour, when he was capped without having made a senior Premiership appearance.

He is likely to move into the centres to accommodate Balshaw's switch, with Rob Thirlby taking on the full-back duties, as he did against the Saints.

Foley insists he is not targeting games, but the visit of second-bottom Leeds on Saturday is clearly of more importance given the Yorkshiremen are level on points with the former champions and basement outfit Harlequins.

London Irish will start strong favourites in their quest to consolidate a top-four berth and secure a Heineken Cup spot next term.

Naka Drotske returns at hooker in place of Richard Kirke, while coach Brendan Venter also welcomes long-term injury victims Simon Halford (calf) and Neal Hatley (biceps) back to the replacements' bench.

The other rearranged fixture sees Wasps old boy Nigel Melville travel to Loftus Road with new club Gloucester.

Melville joined the Kingsholm outfit last month after six years with the London club, and knows victory will not be easy against a Lawrence Dallaglio-inspired side which defeated Leicester 10 days ago.

Former Irish chief Warren Gatland succeeded Melville after originally moving to Wasps as the Yorkshireman's assistant, and he again has the luxury of choosing from strength.

Gatland drops Scotland winger Kenny Logan to the bench in favour of Paul Sampson, a selection poser denied to Melville during the injury-torn opening months of the campaign.

"I was never in any doubt that once Lawrence and a few others came back from injury that Wasps would be a difficult team to beat," said Melville.

"They played really well against Leicester and will now expect to get on a roll until the end of the season."

Gloucester, who need to win tonight and against Northampton on Saturday to prevent Leicester capturing their fourth successive title this weekend, are again without prop Phil Vickery, who is still nursing a stress fracture to his leg.

Henry Paul only makes the bench after his England A exertions last week.

But, though Gloucester have never won at Loftus Road, Melville is relishing the challenge and has no regrets about the move west.

"Gloucester is a big city club where everything revolves around the rugby," he said.

"The supporters are fantastic and the pressure which goes with that is something you should aspire to.

"The level of interest is pretty intense and maybe that is something missing in the London clubs."