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Gloucester set to name George Skivington as new head coach

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Gloucester Rugby look set to name George Skivington as their new head coach, bringing to an end their search to replace Japan bound Johan Ackermann, RugbyPass understands.

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A former captain of London Irish, the 37-year-old retired in the summer of 2016 before being named forwards coach. Although at the start of his coaching career, Skivington is highly rated within coaching circles and joins Gloucester after a successful stint under Nick Kennedy and latterly Less Kiss and Declan Kidney at the Exiles.

His first significant coaching experience came while still playing, when he acted as an assistant coach at Ealing Trailfinders from 2014 to 2016. Ealing gained promotion from National League 1 in 2014/15 and went on to enjoy a strong campaign in the championship the following season.

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Billy Whizz at his blinding best in 2003.

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Billy Whizz at his blinding best in 2003.

Skivington still has a year to run on his contract at Irish, and RugbyPass understands that Cherry and Whites will be compensating their rivals to avail of his services heading into the latter half of the year.

The capture of Skivington is timely. Gloucester have undergone significant upheaval in the last three months, with the departure of Ackermann and their long-standing Director of Rugby, David Humphreys, and there has been significant speculation over who would take up the role.

They had been linked with former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and former Leicester Tigers and current Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill, although the latter had ruled himself out of the running early doors.

Cheika was said to have been high Gloucester’s list of targets, with the club indicating that they were hopeful of announcing new appointments in early July. However, Cheika distanced himself from the gig over the weekend, saying: “I haven’t had anything to do with them.”

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Skivington made 62 appearances for London Irish in total after stints with Saracens, Wasps and Leicester Tigers. He successfully led the 2010 England Saxons team to Churchill Cup success and was called up to the 2011 England Six Nations squad as injury cover for Courtney Lawes.

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Bull Shark 1 hour ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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