Gloucester-Hartpury return to league action this Saturday after three weeks off, with a local derby against Bristol Bears at Kingsholm - the first of four consecutive weeks of fixtures before Christmas.

They are currently third in the table, 11 points behind leaders Saracens with a game in hand, but only a point and place in front of the Bears who they beat in last season's final.

"We've got to make some fine tuning within our defence and attack plays, which we've been working really hard because we know this next four weeks is huge - starting this weekend against Bristol," Lynn said.

The club have England number eight Sarah Beckett available for the first time this season, while England prop Maud Muir and back Mia Venner are also likely to feature in the matchday squad after injury lay-offs.

"These are the games these girls want to be playing in - the top-four games - and the tight games and making these hard, tough decisions," Lynn said.

"As a coaching group these are the ones we get excited about.

"You can't get better than a local derby at Kingsholm - fingers crossed the results come for us and we'll just look at us in that top two."