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The message to players as troubled Gloucester face exotic European fixture
By Chris Jones
George Skivington, the under-pressure Gloucester director of rugby, has demanded his players rediscover their famous “dog” to ensure the European Challenge Cup clash with Black Lion in Georgia does not become another major set back for a team that was hammered 51-26 by Bristol last weekend.
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Gloucester have lost six Premiership games in a row prompting CEO Alex Brown to issue a statement to appease worried fans and Skivington believes a change in emphasis from defence to attack is at the root of their problems. Gloucester, who used to have a reputation as one of the toughest outfits in the league, saw a remarkable 49 defenders beaten by the Bristol attackers and that brought problems to a head.
Skivington said: “The most important thing from a coaching point of view is that we see that Gloucester dog that we pride ourselves on. It is important from the players point of view we represent that in Georgia. We have been a top four defensive side in the Premiership for the last two years but there has been a shift in mind set and we are going to do something about it. We have not changed the defensive system, just worked on ball in hand and we are a real threat. The weekend was a big kick for us. “
With just five days between their return from Georgia on Sunday and the Friday night home Cup game with Clermont, Skivington has opted to leave Argentinian internationals Santi Carreras and Matias Alemanno, Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit and England international Ollie Thorley at home. “To go fully loaded in Georgia and fully loaded for Clermont would be a big challenge,” he explained. “We planned this a few weeks out and we have to balance the squad with a five-day trip to Georgia.”
Getting video of the Georgian side has been a challenge and while Gloucester have “four or five” games to study they were only filmed from one angle although the evidence has made it clear the West Country forwards are in for a tough time against members of the Georgian Rugby World Cup squad in the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi. Skivington said: “We have enough games to know that they are a big, physical side with a sizeable pack. It is going to be a hard work contest.“
