Bryan Redpath is urging his Gloucester side to forget what they are trying to achieve, forget the Premiership table, forget even winning, he is adamant their best way to succeed in their aims is to focus on sticking to their plan that has served them well throughout the last few weeks of the season.
Gloucester now find themselves in a direct head to head fight with Sale for the final Heineken Cup place. The two sides meet in the second to last game of the season, with the result likely to decide who makes it to Europe’s premier competition next season.
Redpath is keen for his side to strike back after a disappointing few weeks and is sure the best way to do so is to focus on their game plan, believing that if they do so the rest, victory and Heineken Cup qualification will come good. Gloucester have let winning positions slip in games against Exeter and Wasps and again at the hands of bottom club Newcastle. With two games to go it seems the Cherry and Whites will need to win their remaining two games and they are in desperate need of doing something to regain some form in the run in.
Newcastle was a tough game for Gloucester with the Falcons fighting for their life at the moment, but it was their first away win for 14 months and that statistic in itself speaks volumes about the difficulties Gloucester find themselves in at the moment. With Sale up next their campaign could be over if they fail to beat the Sharks at Kingsholm. Sale have had their own difficulties in recent weeks and have seen themselves drop out of play-off contention. But their victory over Bath at the weekend seems to mark a return to form and something Gloucester have simply got to replicate.
Bryan Redpath, the coach of the Aviva Premiership club Gloucester Rugby has urged his players to forget about the Premiership table, where they currently lie in 6th position with only a miracle getting them to the playoffs and has asked them to concentrate on the plan. The boss has told his players that what he wants most in the weekend’s game is that The Cherry Whites return to their usual plan of attack and not think about anything else at the moment.
According to Redpath, if his side manages to leave behind the dismal performances and records of the last few weeks and return to winning ways on the back of the strategy, they will one step closer to securing direct entry into the pool stages of the Heineken Cup, the most prestigious competition in European club rugby. Gloucester Rugby will come up against the Newcastle Falcons which is currently lying in the bottom of the Aviva Premiership table and are almost certain to go down.
The Cherry Whites let themselves slip from a winning position in each of their last two games against the London Wasps and the Exeter Chiefs and succumbed to consecutive defeats, which has been the story of their season so far and these defeats have almost put theory dreams of qualifying for Europe in jeopardy. Redpath also hopes that the Falcons will not come to bite them hard as they struggle for survival and believes that if his side can hold their own, they will be able to win the match easily.
But Redpath knows that his Gloucester Rugby side are up for a serious test against the Newcastle Falcons and knows that even if they are almost certain to go down, they will fight till the last minute and that is what is making him nervous.
If Gloucester are serious about making the play offs in May this weekend’s clash with Leicester will be a major step on the road to achieving their goal. Carl Hogg in fact goes as far as to say it is the ultimate test of their play off credentials.
Gloucester have won three on the bounce to find themselves in fifth going into this clash and in with a real chance of making the play offs this season. Having beaten the likes of league leaders Harlequins and third place Northampton in recent weeks this month was always going to be huge for Gloucester and they have come through in impressive style.
Assistant coach, Hogg feels that while their recent form has been impressive they will be in for their sternest test at the weekend. Leicester started drastically poorly but have recovered in recent months and now find themselves sitting fourth and they have scored more tries than any other team in the league this season.
Hogg feels that his side have an excellent chance of victory over the ever strong Leicester side if they “get the basics right”. Leicester’s pack will punish any errors and have done so all season since their return to form. If Gloucester can keep it tight up front and give their backs the best possible service it will swing the pendulum the way of the Cherry and Whites. The Gloucester backs have impressed everyone who has seen them this season and given enough ball they could run in any number of tries against a Leicester side that is heavily reliant on their forward play.
Should Gloucester pick up a victory they will be right up there in contention for a play-off place and given their recent run of form who knows what that could mean? Having beaten Quins and Saints in recent weeks they will surely be serious title contenders if they do manage to make the play offs.
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May 10, 2012 11:05 am | 
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