Few Expectations. In a Good Way.

And there’s a good reason for that. We have a Chance Card, a  Get Out of Jail Free Card. Quite seriously, as I’ve said elsewhere, all I want to see is an improvement over the remainder of the season. If there is more, all to the good, but I’d be happy with general improvement.

We came into this pandemic in possibly the very worst position we could be in. Seven senior fixtures lost on the bounce. Clearly some huge problems in the back room that were having a serious impact and an eerily silent response when questions were asked.

But that’s behind us and now we move forward. A brand new set up. Not just coaching, but a new commercial director in Alex Brown, a new team manager in Sam Raven and Lance Bradley stepping up to CEO. There are still lots of unanswered questions but no point in banging that drum anymore. We’ve passed that moment. I still have one or two concerns, as I have no doubt everyone one of us has. We’re incredibly light in the second row, at Full Back and at Fly half so I think GS has some very interesting selection challenges ahead, because we sort of have “cover” in those positions. 36 at Fly Half, Sharples & Banners at FB. But what about Lock? George knows what is needed there so I expect some interesting selections, especially if injuries occur, which are highly likely in this foreshortened season. I certainly think Clarke & Polledri could step up. As the Premiership moves on and belts are tightened yet further I expect development of “utility” players across the field.

Clearly, we all want to see a massive improvement on the last few weeks prior to the pandemic but I’d prefer to see risks taken as well, seriously mix things up a bit. To find what we’re good at and what needs development. We’re safe from relegation so that’s not an issue. There is an argument that we should aim for top 6 to get Champions Cup qualification and I can see the logic in that but my preference would be for steady growth as all the elements start coming together working toward becoming a cohesive unit that can maintain a long running campaign to remain at the top of English Rugby.

We’ve been here before of course, but not with quite such a huge clear out in one go. I am quietly confident that we have turned a corner but GS and this team must now be left alone to do their work. He certainly talks the talk. Now let’s see the walk.

GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND – JULY 20: George Skivington, (L) the Gloucester head coach talks to Danny Cipriani during the Gloucester training session held at Hartpury College on July 20, 2020 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

 

Racist Bastard!

Now I have your attention. I’m 57……Less than 30 years ago the internet as we know it was born. I clearly recall ADSL modems as recently as 2000. I’d click on the internet and go and make a coffee. If all was good on my return a page had loaded…. Now I’m making complaints to BT because I’m not getting 30mbps download.

I have fond memories of 3 channel TV. Crittal windows, frost on the inside (no double glazing), No central heating. 40% of homes had a phone. My father’s car, rarely used, had drum brakes, no seat belts. There was no M5 or M4. No M25. We spent holidays in a caravan with gas lighting and no running water.

My father was born in 1933. His father was born in 1906. My life is influenced by a man born barely after the death of Queen Victoria. The very first flight took place 3 years before my Grandfather was born. 18 years before that we saw the first cars. In 1881 electrical supply to domestic premises started to become more commonplace.

Born in 1963 I knew my father as a man that could never say he loved me. I knew he did, of course. But such was the world in which he was brought up. Such is how the world has changed in such a very short time.

And the world has changed. Mightily.

Almost 400 years ago a man was born who had no idea of electricity, engines, flight, wireless communication and so many other things we take for granted. He was born into a world that is simply unrecognisable to you & me. He was born into a world that does not recognise the humanities as we know them today. Countries with borders. Countries with people, with languages. A man that simply had no knowledge of Africa and it’s peoples and who never travelled there.

And to understand Africa you MUST travel there. The borders that exist today were imposed on ethnic groups by European settlers. These borders are still not recognised by most ethnic groups. But Africans that have now taken over the government of these countries use these European borders to their advantage. The fact is that most of these countries exist as groups of ethnic groups that remain at war with each other and have done for decades if not hundreds of years with loyalties changing every second day, week or month. But Western governments still try to manage the problems in Africa by using these age old standards.

But back to Calston. The ignorant castigate him, drag down his statue and throw it in the harbour without a seconds thought about who the man is. A slave trader. End of. After all, wasn’t he a “Deputy Governor” of the Royal African Company, a company set up to trade gold, silver & ivory along the African West coast?. The company was set up by King Charles II and his brother the Duke of York (later King James II). Calston was employed here for 12 years, twixt 1680 & 1692. He was a Deputy Governor for one year.

The African slave trade was fed by West Africans. The vast majority of those who were enslaved and transported in the transatlantic slave trade were people from Central and West Africa, who had been sold by other West Africans to Western European slave traders. This is the part that most Europeans simply cannot grasp or refuse to understand. The African slave trade was formulated by those that thought they were superior  in Africa. Different ethnic groups traded other ethnic groups and used them as their own slaves. This doesn’t absolve Calston. But he was a part of a system that existed and was accepted at the time. It was NORMAL at the time. It was part of the company before he joined and was part of the company after he left. He did not create it.

This was a time when blacks were considered inferior by whites. Europeans had no knowledge of them as a people. Had no knowledge of their language or their ways or history. And they cared less. Blacks were simply seen as inferior. They had no formal education. They were differently dressed. They were simply seen as creatures.

Today, in the West, we know and accept this is wrong. Today we know and accept we are all equal. But this simply was not the case 400 years a go in a world we have no experience or genuine knowledge of. A world we do not and cannot understand but by which we judge of today’s standards.

So how should we judge this “slave trader”. He never went to Africa. He never loaded ships with slaves. I have few doubts he ever knew how many slaves died en-route. He did, however, fund Bristol to the tune of around £20,000,000 in today’s money.

£20,000,000 dedicated to housing, schooling and healthcare. But we judge this man by today’s standards when we should judge him by the standards of 4 centuries ago. But if we judge him by today’s standards then what of the schools, housing and hospitals he funded? Should these be dragged down as well?

Swathes of people now castigate him but remain silent on what goes on in Africa this day. They fail to recognise what China does in Africa on a daily basis. They fail to recognise the child slavery occurring simply to deliver their e-goods. Safely they condemn an occurrence from 400 years ago to assuage their guilt but remain mute about the horrors that continue today.

The Difference Between Winners & Losers.

In my last blog post one of the last things I mentioned that is essential to success for any team is cohesion. Some teams have it and some don’t. If you don’t understand it’s relevance and importance as a team manager you’ll never achieve it. I stated that I felt our DoR was ONE of the barriers to Cohesion for Gloucester. He’s now gone. I actually felt Ackers was also a barrier but to a lesser extent. He has now gone. But what is cohesion and why is it so important.

The easiest way to show what cohesion is is to choose teams that have it in bucket loads. Teams like Sarries and New Zealand. The All Blacks come from a nation 1/12 th the size of ours, less than 5 million compared to our 60 million. So why do they consistently trounce us (played 42, won 8). I think it may well be the smaller group they call from that helps. A team that stays together, plays together. Sarries is very much the same. Each season a small evolution in the squad rather than a massive revolution.

Cohesion is very much a science. It requires detailed understanding of psychology and an innate ability to build a team. Something Gloucester have been missing. Certainly we’ve hired some extraordinary talent over the years, and continue to do so. But a uniquely talented individual does not necessarily help build team cohesiveness. Someone may have an extraordinary level of ability but may struggle to work effectively within the larger team framework and deliver on that level. Any fracture within the team will destroy cohesion and effective teams are ones that remain united.

So how do we deliver a cohesive team on the field, and by team on the field I mean ALL aspects, from CEO to Hydration and every level in between? Clearly, there are key elements. Instead of going for the most talented and most expensive player choose one that has lived & breathed the team their whole career. One of the reasons I was gutted at the Loss of Hinkley. Yes, we have a wealth of talent in the back row but for how long will we be able to afford Polledri? And when Jones doesn’t come knocking for Ruan (’cause, while I like the lad, he’s along way short of England material in my opinion) will he hang about? And for Hinkley, in lieu of Glaws his choice of Exeter said a lot to me.

So world class is not necessarily what you want. Often a squad of 2nd or 3rd choice players will be a more cohesive unit because they’ve been on the training field together more often. Let’s face it, the BaaBaas don’t win many matches despite the quality of player. There was a time in the 70s, of course, but that was when the BaaBaas was effectively the entire Welsh back line and who doesn’t enjoy watching THAT try time after time. An amazing moment of rugby despite JPR being almost decapitated……TWICE!

There are many aspects of teams that eventually lead to a cohesive unit. Hiring the right (not necessarily best) people. Ensuring everyone’s contribution is valued. Empowering team members, creating leaders within the team. Resolving conflicts within the team quickly and effectively (cutting out the cancer!).

Influences on cohesion are several. One of the aspects that keep members of a group united is if they share similar values and attitudes. Employees and human beings, in general, always prefer the company of those who hold similar opinions, beliefs, and codes of conduct because they provide some form of social validation. But similarity of interest or opinion is not the only factor that drives team cohesion. In some instances, the primary task that needs to be accomplished keeps the group members united. For example, when a military unit is sent on a mission, accomplishing the task at hand becomes the cohesive factor. Whether or not the soldiers have similar attitudes and values does not matter much. Rugby is very much a metaphor for the military here.

The longer the group remain together helps to build that cohesion as does previous success within that group. Threat & competition to the team play a significant part, an essential element in Rugby.

Cohesion, then, refers to the degree of closeness that individuals feel within a team. The forces that bring group members together can either be positive or negative. The main factors that determine team cohesion are the similarity between members’ interests, group size, shared successes, and the threat of external competitors. There are different ways of improving team cohesion such as empowering group members, resolving disputes, and valuing every contribution made.

Team cohesion has been found to be essential in providing several benefits. For one, team members who work cohesively are likely to achieve their goals faster and more efficiently, and also, individuals in cohesive teams experience greater satisfaction which, therefore, leads to a greater desire to continue to contribute.

I think Gloucester RUFC have taken significant strides in removing barriers to team cohesion but I’m yet to be convinced those in charge have the where with all to genuinely deliver a cohesive team. Time will only tell. But just because someone like Dai Young or Richard Cockerill look good on paper there is a reason both left Wasps & Tigers respectively.

Reading back through this I think Gloucester’s deficiencies can be clearly identified. We have had no cohesion for many years. When the new Head Coach and Defence Coach are appointed I sincerely hope they have a proven history of ability to deliver the cohesion required for Gloucester to succeed. We shall have to be patient.

All Change at GRFC…..Again!

As we say goodbye to JA the various forums are awash with chat. Articles in papers & magazines keep rehashing the same rumours and it seems everyone’s money is on Rory Teague to land the top job.

It would almost certainly make sense as a temporary measure. There is no risk attached because this seasons losers have already been appointed, so in many ways success on the pitch for the remainder of any matches will be irrelevant. It gives Teague a chance to show his mettle, if it’s there; we certainly haven’t seen it yet.

His record so far has been poor. He didn’t last at England and I understand from a reliable source that Eddie Jones asked a Premiership coach to “…give him ideas on skills coaching around the breakdown”.  Teague’s record at Begles. 2017 – Played 26, Won 10, Points diff -66, 54 tries For, 74 Against. Final place 10th. 2018 – Played 26, Won 12, Points Diff -98, 65 For, 84 Against. Final place 10th. And it concerns me that he seems to move on quickly from every berth he has occupied.

He is currently skills coach and even the most fervent #bekind supporter has to admit our skills have deteriorated this season.

But he’ll certainly have one thing in his favour……He’ll fit StQ’s budget, particularly given the current difficulties. And particularly as it’s mid-season and poaching any decent coach might cost significant compo.

But what then? What happens if we do not win many/any games under Teague, does he continue or do we look for someone proven to deliver. There will be plenty of excuses given the disruption and, from what we heard, the problems in the changing room. But if those rumours are true, as well as all the other issues that have been circulating, then who of quality would want to come and work in such a toxic atmosphere?

These, however, are not the only anxieties I have. What of the loss of Jonny “Dinger” Bell? Was he approached for the top job? He has proven to be an excellent D coach and is moving to Glasgow as Attack Coach because “….the opportunity at Glasgow, to develop my coaching experience, beyond a purely defensive role, was something I couldn’t turn down”. He is also highly respected here, I have heard. OK, sure, we’re back to paying compo but StQ, as well as being miserly careful with his money, is an astute businessman who would understand the cost benefit analysis of increased income from winning games, particularly at The Holm.

Lance “Superfan” Bradley was promoted from within, as was our new Commercial Director, Alex Brown, both of which suggest budgets being adhered to rather than a genuine search for the best people for the jobs which is what we were sold. But as long as they are good enough all seems fair.

In my opinion two of our very best bits of work have been signing Dan Tobin and Tim Taylor both of whom have proved themselves beyond question. Our best season for an eternity was when TT was in charge of the backs on his own.

But it was as far back as December 15th that I blogged that there were significant problems at Glaws. As most of you are aware, I’ve posted that it has gotten worse and deteriorated continuously since then.

Selection, Selection, Selection?

I’m often cited by some for being critical and not just blindly supporting our team. But in my mind blindly following is not supporting. If something is wrong fans have the right to ask questions and demand things are put right. As I have often said, StQ may be the current major shareholder but GRFC belongs to the fans. Without us it ceases to exist. For all their talk of loyalty you will not find Humphries, Ackerman, StQ or Bradley standing in The Shed 30 years from now with numerous membership badges pinned to worn out old caps.

And so I have asked questions and been given answers and posted my thoughts and comments on forums. Some have appreciated them and some have criticised me, and that’s fair too because we all have opinions and sometimes they aren’t homologous. But it seems much of what I have posted has been accurate, unfortunately. And so I reiterate what I have said before and I ask where is the problem and, in my opinion, the most significant problem (but certainly not the only one) remains with the DoR. Of all the things that Glaws have that are so very good (high quality players, excellent training facilities, the best fans in the world) what we do not have, and what is so critical and so essential to any team that demands success is cohesion and I genuinely believe that our DoR is an impediment to  achieving that.

The Head Above The Rampart Gets Shot!

Some time ago (Dec 2016) I wrote a blog article basically asking “Who is Gloucester RFC?”. This was around the time StQ was trying to sell 51% share holding to Mohed Altrad. If you have the time to read it, it may help later in this blog.

All Change at Gloucester?

Now, I’ll be truthful. I’ve tried, but I really cannot stand watching any other sport than Rugby Union. It’s the only game that entertains me. It’s the only one that has me screaming, from the stand or from the armchair. And I’ve spent huge sums of money watching this sport I love……most of it on Gloucester, my beloved Cherry & Whites. So when I write a blog, or a Facebook post; when I take time to consider evidence, stats & facts, it’s because of that love, because of that passion for the sport and for my team. So from this, I hope you’ll understand what I was saying in that blog post.

Part of the work I do on a day to day basis is as an Investigator. I look for evidence and try to make accurate inferences from what I find. One of the biggest challenges of the job is to find sources of accurate information. In today’s social media obsessed world, where everyone has an opinion and Google will happily feed these to you, this has become quite challenging. Also, professional media organisations tend to only release information that is to their advantage.

An example of this might be that a professional reporter, let’s call him Bobby Aisles,  finds himself in ownership of significant news about a local sports team and it’s quite juicy and very informative. He calls the sports team for confirmation and the team says “Yeah, we don’t want that getting out it’s commercially sensitive/will upset the fans”. Bobby says “But it’s all true so why shouldn’t I run it?”, “Well, because if you do we’ll speak to our sponsors and ask them to withdraw advertising in your rag and won’t ever give you access to our ground or stories to run in future which will hit your sales”.

Trust me, this happens, regularly.

So it can be difficult to get a clear and accurate picture of what might be happening and where responsibility lies if things do not seem particularly rosy in any investigation. This is particularly true where several individuals might have a lot to lose.

There are also challenges where an investigator may be told something in strictest confidence. To break such a confidence may mean losing a valuable source of information forever.

Further, there are two measures for evidence and theory formulation. Does what you have point to something being “Irrefutably beyond all reasonable doubt” or is it “On the balance of probabilities”. Both of these are legal measures; one in criminal court and one in civil. But if the information is based on the 2nd measure then multiple sources need to add confirmation.

Also, it is extremely difficult not to weigh information from a personal objective or to ignore evidence based on pre-conceived prejudices. “I don’t like him so I’m just going to look for the evidence that supports my theory!” To be subjective rather than objective and have the ability to change a view based on evidence.  Especially where friendships are involved. An example here would be that I believed that Todd Gleave was brought to Gloucester RFC on the spurious grounds of nepotism. Having watched him develop I now think he has developed into a reasonable Hooker. Not a starter, maybe, but a cost effective bench man.

I’m often criticised for being negative. For being critical of where Gloucester RFC are and where they seem to be going and the background noise. That’s fine, the head above the rampart gets shot. Of course, I could avoid being criticised by keeping quiet, by not spending hours investigating what’s going on. But as I hope I’ve made clear in my earlier comments and the previous blog, this club is ours. Not StQ’s, the players, the coaches or anyone else. Without us it would not be. So when things are not right, when we hear things and discover things it is right that we ask questions. This is not mutiny, it is the very opposite. It shows our love for our club. And it is the fans that can bring the pressure to bear that may see things improve.

Now, one of the things I love about the forums is that there are so many informed views and intelligent opinions that I sometimes find myself changing my opinion, so, yes, I welcome that. What is less welcome is almost mindless, “Let’s get behind the team!”, (for me the team is every one, the coaches, owners and players). And at the moment there really is something wrong at the heart of the team. You can slate me, you can denigrate me but Gloucester has the worse overall stats for any team in the Prem. That’s not speculation, that’s fact. (these stats prior to round 12).

And yet I believe overall we have one of the best teams we’ve had in a generation….. 7 current internationals (ish).

So, after hints, guesses, suggestions……I suppose it’s time to really ask the hard questions. It’s time to press GRFC, because the Press ain’t going to press them. So let’s put it out there and ask the club to answer these questions.

1. Were GRFC over the salary cap and did David Humphreys put players on loan without their knowledge or consent to correct this?
2. Was Kriel released to correct this?
3. Please explain the Marshall signing debacle (JA said at the Montpelier Q&A that Tom’s wife wasn’t settled. After re-signing Tom made it clear she and he were settled)?
4. Is there any money in the cap for new signings?
5. Gloucester have won the lowest %age of games in all comps of Prem teams. What does GRFC think is the cause of this?
6. What is the plan to correct this?

And finally, a question I put to Lance Bradley on Twitter that remains unanswered……What are GRFC doing with the £350k from Premier Rugby? If you wonder why I ask this question I think the answer would tell us a great deal about the current ownership of the “company”. Exeter Chiefs gave their share straight to their foundation. Where did GRFC’s share go? The main reason for my asking is that the money could go a long way to helping struggling local clubs who have been the ones developing talent to feed into the academy. GRFC have benefited hugely from these local clubs and perhaps now, with this “free” money, they could put a little something back.

 

 

Back to the Stats!

As I’ve said frequently, you can pretty much make stats say anything you want them too…..So let’s give that a try.

Only 3 teams have scored more tries than us this season in the Prem. The two leaders, Chiefs & Saints and, of course, Sarries. That’s pretty great. The next most miserly Defence in the league is Sharks who have leaked 18 compared to our parsimonious 14. That’s superb. So why are we not top of the table?

I think it can be summed up in one word. Penalties. In the 10 Prem games we’ve played we’ve given away 108 penalties against 91 in our favour. For the sake of this blog I’m going to concentrate on converted kicks rather than scores from other methods.  In the 10 games we have had 34 successful penalties kicked against us. In the 6 games we have lost we have had 22 successful kicks against us. I need not remind you that 22 kicks is 66 points. Those 6 loses had a combined score margin against us of 52 points. While those are average scores in reality the only game we would have still lost without that number of penalties against us would be the Bears game which we would have lost by 3 instead of 18. The Sarries game would have been a draw.

Tigers, Away, We gifted them 9 penalty points and lost by 3

Quins, Away, We gifted them 9 penalty points and lost by 4

Saints, Away, We gifted them 12 penalty points and lost by 7

Chiefs, Home, We gifted them 12 penalty points and lost by 11

Win these four games and we would be 5 points ahead of Chiefs. Narrow margins.

So where is it going tits up?

For a start we’re playing a go forward brand of rugby. It’s a brand that works well in the Southern Hemisphere and in dry conditions. But we don’t seem to have a Plan B for when conditions are not favourable to that brand and other teams that are still playing Northern Hemisphere, attritional rugby are forcing us back, especially as our front row is just not good enough at the moment. So we are spending huge amounts of time going back. And when you are going back the Ref will ping you.

Further, we are suffering with very little team cohesion. This is where teams know each other inside out, upside down and back to front and work together as single unit with leaders on and off the field. The team live the game plan. Top teams for Team Cohesion…..who’dda thunk it….All Blacks and Sarries. Certainly GRFC coaches talk about “leaders on the pitch” but is it a team performance that we see? If we look at what we would consider to be leaders, Slater, Cips, Heinz &c are we seeing a unit or several individuals? And how are they gelling with off field leaders? Certainly something isn’t right. And it’s less right this season than last with several players playing less well than last season.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe we now have a team that, on paper at least, has the potential to challenge for honours (with a little beefing up 1 to 3). I believe our best back row is world class. As is our best 2nd row (in my mind a fully fit Slater & Mostert). A back 3 of Marshall, Thorley & Rees-Zammit should be enough to put the fear of god into many teams. A half back pairing of Simpson & Cips with a centre pairing of any mix of Harris, 36, Atkinson & Trinder.

With our fitness levels where they are (thanks to Dan Tobin) fully fit I believe we can put a solid 15 on the pitch with a 6-2 mix on the bench (with a little beefing up 1 to 3) to keep a strong forward platform to feed the potentially devastating back attack.

But we need a Plan B and we need to get the Team Cohesion right. Do that and I think we can have what you see in the link below. And (forgive the crudeness) if that doesn’t give guys a bit of a hard on and make the ladies a little moist you’re watching the wrong game.

 

Lies, Damn Lies & Statistics!

Statistics don’t lie, but you can pretty much make them say whatever you want them to say and my stats prove we should be topping the league by a margin having won 7 and drawn 1 in our 8 league encounters this season. So why does the table not reflect this? In a single word, Penalties.

There has been plenty of chat in the forums about our performance in various areas of the field & game. We’re all loving some of the rugby we’re playing; sexy, sublime & splendid. When it works by crikey it works to wondrous effect, leaves oppositions sprawling as players “run the length of the Cotswolds” and puts opposition players on their backsides. It is often unwise for asthmatics to visit The ‘Holm as it leaves us all breathless.

But there are those aspects that give us all cause for concern, such as the line out, especially the long throws that miss 9 times out of 10, the unforced errors and the missed kicks.

Probably the most talked about area of concern this year, though, has been the penalty count, so I thought I’d have a gander through the stats to see if it’s as worrying as it might be…….And by golly it really is!!

I’m just working on the Gallagher Premiership games for this evaluation. Of the 8 games we’ve played we’ve given away 87 penalties, just shy of 11 per game. From those penalties there have been 25 kicks at goal converted for a total of 75 points. But with a points difference of +42 surely this is irrelevant isn’t it? We’re sailing high in 3rd and all is good with the world.

Well, do you recall what I said in the opening paragraph, we should be No1 having lost no games? We lost to Tigers 16-13, Sarries 12-21, Quins 23-19 and Saints 33-26. Tigers, Sarries & Quins all converted 3 penalty kicks at the cost of 9 points per game and Saints converted 4 at the cost of 12. I don’t have to point out that the games against Tigers, Saints & Quins would have become wins and the loss against Sarries a draw and we would have an additional 11 points in our pocket putting us 5 points clear of Chiefs.

But surely this is balanced by penalties in favour of us, not that it helps as any points lost are points lost……if you get my point. And no, anyway. We’ve been awarded 76 penalties but only converted 8 of those into point scoring kicks so a net loss of 51 in any event. But as I say scoring points doesn’t help when you’re losing so many in the first instance.

I think the reason for my frustration in this area has to do with our overall defence. We are still the most miserly team in the league having shipped just 9 tries. The next nearest are Sarries & Sharks on 11 each while the Exiles have shipped more than 3 times that number. Giving away so many points in silly penalties when we are so miserly in defence is heartbreaking.

But does it really matter? Well, let me put it this way, if we hadn’t given away just 8% of the penalties we have done we would now be on 32 points and top of the table. “Fine Margins” we say and fine margins it certainly is.

 

 

Selection, Selection, Selection?

Another week and another result to contemplate. A game that should have been buttoned up and finished 13 -24 with less than 5 minutes on the clock against a team that is known to ship 20+ points in the last 20 minutes. And remember, we were 10-0 down at 30 minutes!

Even down to 14 men that game should never have been lost despite all the talk of selection. The bench was loaded to take advantage of that last 20 weakness that Connacht seem to show. At the Q&A in Montpelier JA stated, categorically, he would have picked a stronger team if we had beaten Toulouse. Quite simply then, Europe was no longer on our radar; but with two losing BPs there seemed to be a change of heart with a strong team put out at home against Connacht. And that paid dividends with a BP win. Selection away to Connacht, with 9 changes, suggested that perhaps we weren’t going for it after all. The team dug deep, though, and seemed to deliver a result. It was all wrapped up with yet another BP win with less than 5 minutes remaining.

But once again our discipline let us down against what was a determined foe of youngsters strung together by injury who have proven themselves worthy adversaries. And once again handlng errors proved costly and once again the set piece suffered. Conceding twice as many penalties and losing 25% of your line out is always going to prove costly. Especially when you lose a key forward five minutes from time giving your opponents a penalty line out into the bargain.

Much of the talk has been about selection and about rotation policy and I have some sympathies with the view that a stable team helps build cohesion, something that has been identified as essential in elite teams. But when you looked at the starting 15 and the bench it’s difficult to find anyone that hasn’t earned their place. And L R-Z’s filthy off load still has me chuckling. So looking forward to seeing more from this kid. As usual lots of talk about Cips but he was missing and we have to cope with that. Ultimately we were looking at a BP win away from home with a lead of 11 points……so there was nothing wrong with selection.

And, hard though this might be for some to swallow, Poite was en-pointe (did you see what I did there ;-)).

So here’s where I see the problem lies. It’s not the players. Each and everyone has proven themselves at some point. Maybe not this season but certainly last season (I’m thinking 36 here). So we look elsewhere. It’s not selection. We were winning reasonably comfortably with less than 5 to go. It’s certainly not the guts and bravery of each and every one of the guys on the pitch meaning we have the most miserly defence in the league. And we also seem to have the ability to score tries from anywhere on the pitch.

It’s performance. It’s the tiny little things that take you from being champions to also rans. The tiny little things that mean Toulouse get 5 kickable penalties beating us in the 2nd half 16 – 0. The tiny little things that mean you’re captain is kicked off with 5 minutes to go when you’re defending on the line. The tiny nuances that mean the ball gets dropped instead of picked up. Where you knock on instead of hands on.  The Fine Margins.

And that is where we need to look to find the cause. What is going on and where, or who, is causing problems. What, or who, is not adding to team cohesion. Team performance. Because it is all about “The Team”, not just 23 players on game day.

Most of you know where I stand and I’m hearing rumours from multiple sources now. The drip drip is slowly becoming a stream that there is discontent and division. That is certainly enough to cause a well oiled machine to pick up a few bits of grit. Unfortunately it can prove costly to strip the engine down and get rid of that grit……especially when you consider how much certain individuals get paid and what sort of compensation may be demanded. But all the clues are there if you’re prepared to look……and see!

Don’t Piss Up My Leg And Tell Me It’s Raining!

There are some that wear rose tinted glasses. Those for whom we should never say a critical word. I have some sympathy for that viewpoint. When I go to work I don’t have thousands of people watching me; people with pause/rewind/play buttons on my life. But then, I have a mundane life. I don’t get paid hundreds of thousands of pounds. I don’t represent something that people have been supporting for decades. I don’t rely on people spending huge sums of money supporting my employment. So, yes, if my money supports you, if you represent something I stand for, then, in my view, I’m permitted to comment on your performance.

I have no doubts I will be heavily criticised for taking a negative view in this blog. “Back the team” is the call. Trust me, I back the team. I’ve backed them all over Europe and will gladly be in Toulouse backing them. But something is very wrong at the heart of our club. “In Ackers we trust”…..etc etc!! This is his 3rd Season, we should be singing by now! We should be winning by now.

I’m told it’s a game of fine margins. Not for some it’s not. Not for those easing away from us in the table. I’m told that the 9 games we’ve lost were close games. If so they are close enough that we should have won them. We were using that excuse 3 and 4 seasons ago.

On the 19th of October Sale missed a kick and lost their first Prem game of the season to an underwhelming Gloucester side. Had that kick sailed over Gloucester would be looking at 1 win in 11 games in all competitions, but, fortunately, we’re looking at 2 wins in 11. Feel free to blame the conditions but both teams in the games were playing in them.

Of course, there is that fantastic win against Wasps to cling onto but those that are not blind will recognise that the score line flattered us, with breakout tries, not much from set piece or phase play. And let’s be honest, Wasps have leaked an average of 3 tries per game this season with the 2nd worse points difference.

Against Quins, in my view, we played the best we have played this season. We strung together some excellent phase play. And yes we came close. But we lost. Again. My view, which is worth very little, is that Twelvetrees should be starting each week with Atkinson. They proved themselves an excellent pairing last season and I’m not sure why that has changed. That way we have a nailed on kicker on the pitch from the outset. Harris hasn’t added value (I’m not saying he’s bad, understand, just not better than 36) ……and in my opinion we would have had five more points on Sunday. And, of course, a win.

I write this piece from a strange position. At the Q&A in Montpelier I asked about Tom Marshall’s future at the club. The immediate response was that he would be getting more game time now he was back from injury etc etc. That wasn’t the question of course so I fired back, pushing “So he’ll be with us next season?” I confess, I’m a huge admirer of Tom’s and think he’s been superb for us this season. “Ah, well”, came the response, “family, etc etc”. On leaving the venue I shook JA’s hand and pushed again and said “So Tom won’t be with us next season then?”. Ackers talked about Tom’s wife not being settled etc etc…..I love his “etc etcs”.

I’m not going to reveal sources but I can assure you this was bullshit of the highest order. There have been no discussions, no negotiations, no communications with Tom. And where the f**k this fantasy about his wife came from I can only guess…….but it would be a good guess based on where I know bullshit has come from before.

I have personal knowledge of others having left when not wanting to but feeling pushed rather than jumping. I know others have just been out & out lied to. There is a single name that repeats time and again when difficulties are talked about. When cohesiveness, or more importantly, barriers to cohesiveness, are discussed. And, no, it’s not our coach.

And here’s where it all gets a bit bitty, a jigsaw coming together………

So at the moment we’re looking at Balmain, Marshall, Morgan & Slater out of contract. Hohneck & Rapava-Ruskin new contracts at £300k but barely impress at this level, we barely have a Hooker worth the title (although having one jumper against Toulouse gave them all the information they required, so I don’t blame the hooker there and Gleave wasn’t too chronic in his short time at The Stoop). And our lineout was much improved v Quins (but then it couldn’t have been much worse).

JA stated clearly at the Q&A in Montpelier that had we beaten Toulouse he would have put out a stronger team…….so he expected to lose and was concentrating on the Prem. He talked of rotation and of course we need to blood players, rotate, keep guys match fit……etc etc. And of course we need to do that.

And Cips isn’t having the season he had last season. Some of that sublime magic has gone, hopefully to reappear.

And Twelvetrees is looking out of sorts when he does get game time, but I’m guessing his motivation has taken a hit.

And the handling errors, oh my, those constant bloody handling errors! But I’m not blaming individual players.

So the sum of the parts is what? There is some good stuff. We currently sit in 7th (thanks to Sarries, not 8th). We still have the best defensive record in the Prem with 6 against. We’re equal 4th with Chiefs on “Tries For” with 12. But it has to be said the majority of those tries have been lucky; they have been breakaways rather than steady, phase play wins. Thank god for Simpson & Marshall this season (scored 9 of our 12 tries in the Prem).

But, we are 2 from 11 and it shouldn’t be like this. Successful teams, all types of teams, including in business, have a high level of cohesiveness. You see this in teams such as New Zealand and Saracens. They both measure high for team cohesion. It’s almost as though there is a single entity on the pitch and there is a very low error rate. The teams are together for long periods with very little adjustment or change and they are motivated to remain together. I thought we were beginning to see this with Gloucester, and we did, glimpses last season. But even with those that are making the team on a regular basis at the moment, how motivated are they? If Marshall is not being spoken to and coaches are not being honest to fans about him how much longer can he “let his talking be done on the pitch” before he’s totally de-motivated? With Simpson signing an extension and Heinz returning soon, with Chapman chomping at the bit surely news of Braley leaving has to be close to the mark because a message has been sent to him; you’re at best 3rd choice. Hardly acceptable for an international? That message was clearly sent to, arguably, our best LH prop last season, as well as others. And how must 36 feel after such a storming season? Discontent quickly spreads.

Everything I’ve seen and everything I’ve heard has pointed to a single individual causing problems rather than creating solutions. He’s causing division rather than cohesion and I believe the whole set up would be better off without him. I believe the coaching staff and players would be more cohesive and far stronger as a team, as a unit. Less divided. And results would come.

Ultimately, you have to add something positive to your team, you have to bring value, and there is only one person who I can’t see what it is that is positive that he brings, but I can see plenty of negative stuff. 

David Humphreys, you are the weakest link, goodbye.

 

A Punishment Barely Worth it’s Weight

OK, so finally Sarries have been found out. Finally the RFU have done something. But we have all known, all along, this was the case. It’s a tough pill to swallow. Especially as, even if the current punishments stand, they are hardly tough.

Wray can afford the fine and the points deduction will merely result in a mid-table finish for Sarries instead of top two.

But here’s the thing. I go to Kingsholm for a reason. I go to Kingsholm because Gloucester RFC is different. Gloucester RFC is genuine grass roots rugby. From the tip of it’s toes to the top of it’s hat. From The Tump to The Shed. Since before 1873. Rugby is the heart of this great city. Tens of clubs, dozens of teams, thousands of players and supporters. I’m Essex born & bred but I love my Gloucester. And here’s the thing. Sarries will never have what we have. The history, the brotherhood. They will never have Matson v Coney Hill, or Widden OB v Old Cryptians in the Car Park Derby and so many others.

Sarries will never have the incredible history of our great rugby city. The poor bastards. And so they can never truly understand what this great game truly means to us. And so they spout their rhetoric. We are “neathendral”….. oh the sweet irony they couldn’t spell it correctly.

I recall Laurie Fisher visiting Widden OBs on a cold, wet Tuesday evening on one of his many visits to local clubs coaching in his spare time. Always freely giving of himself. He was visibly stunned by the hundreds of people there. Teams playing, some training, some supporting. A vibrant, lively, active scene. A scene repeated across and beyond our city.

Sarries do not have this. Sarries fans cannot understand what we have and so they cannot understand why what their teams owners have done hurts us so much.

And so I ask one thing. As one of the leading tormentors of Sarries in their darkest hour I ask this. When Sarries fans are beside you in The Shed or on The Tump; Be Gloucester. Be gracious. Yes, certainly, take the piss, they deserve it. But….be gentle. They may be hurting. They may have had an awareness of the cheating going on but it was not them that cheated. Yes they may be vocal in defence of their team but that is just a group under attack coralling their wagons.

People of our great club……..Be humble at what we have and they do not, for they can never understand. Be Gloucester, Be proud.