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Recap: Gloucester vs Exeter Chiefs LIVE | Gallagher Premiership
By RugbyPass
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Gallagher Premiership match between Gloucester and Exeter Chiefs at Kingsholm.
Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).
Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann has admitted it has been a frustrating wait to take on the Premiership leaders.
The Cherry and Whites were well beaten by local rivals Bristol three weeks ago in their last outing, and Ackermann said Friday’s Kingsholm clash couldn't come around quick enough.
“It’s been a hard time for us as coaches, and for the players as well,” said Ackermann, who has outside-half Danny Cipriani available after injury.
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“Normally you get the chance to fix what went wrong quite quickly. But we’ve not had that opportunity and have had to live with that performance and result.
“But we’ve had some time for reflection and have tweaked a few things over the past week, and hopefully we can change things.”
Fourth-placed Gloucester also recall Matt Banahan, Billy Twelvetrees and Gerbrandt Grobler, with Ed Slater returning to the matchday squad after injury.
Gloucester trail Exeter by seven points and Ackermann said: “There are certain games which are quite special, and Friday night games are special for the supporters and the players.
“They’ve built a culture of believing and winning and developed a strength in depth in their squad which means that, whoever they lose to internationals or injury, they’re going to have a competitive team. They find a way to perform and we have to match that.”
Exeter, who are aiming to bounce back from a shock home defeat to Sale three weeks ago, have Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg and Australia scrum-half Nic White available.
“We are expecting a full-on game,” said Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter. “The good thing about being in and around the top of the Premiership is you know what to expect – and that’s a full-on challenge every time you play.
“Because you are top, people want to knock you off. Like ourselves, Gloucester have ambitions of being in the top four and wanting to win the Premiership.
“For them, we are one of the teams they are competing against, so there is every reason to say this is going to be a very tough game.”
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Latest Comments
The England backs can't be that dumb, he has been playing on and off for the last couple of years. If they are too slow to keep up with him that's another matter.
He was the only thing stopping England from getting their arses handed to them in the Aussie game. If you can't fit a player with that skill set into an England team then they are stuffed.
Go to commentsSteve Borthwick appointment was misguided based on two flawed premises.
1. An overblown sense of the quality of the premiership rugby. The gap between the Premiership and Test rugby is enormous
2. England needed an English coach who understood English Rugby and it's traditional strengths.
SB won the premiership and was an England forward and did a great job with the Japanese forwards but neither of those qualify you as a tier 1 test manager.
Maybe Felix Jones and Aled Walter's departures are down to the fact that SB is a details man, which work at club level but at test level you need the manager to manage and let the coaches get on and do what they are employed for.
SB criticism of players is straight out of Eddie Jones playbook but his loyalty to keeping out of form players borne out of his perceived sense of betrayal as a player.
In all it doesn't stack up as the qualities needed to be a modern Test coach /Manager
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