The Gloucester positional gamble that paid off in spades
Gloucester head coach George Skivington said his players “wanted to make a point” as they returned to winning ways with a 34-19 victory over Northampton in the Gallagher Premiership.
Skivington, who was celebrating his 40th birthday, saw his side score four tries at Kingsholm to move themselves up three places to fourth in the table, leapfrogging their visitors in the process.
The win ended a run of three straight league defeats for the Cherry and Whites, who were inspired by a fine performance from stand-in fly-half Santiago Carreras following his return from international duty with Argentina.
Skivington said: “I thought the boys were outstanding tonight.
“Obviously, in our last Premiership game here, against Newcastle, we were very disappointed with what we put out on the field and I think that’s probably the first time we’ve done that in a couple of years.
“The boys wanted to make a point, they wanted to give something back to the supporters and just make that right.”
On Carreras’ display, Skivington said: “Santi came back and did two days with us last week and we put him at 10 because he’d been playing 10 (for Argentina).
“He hasn’t trained a day at 10 pre-last week and I think this week he really knuckled down and understood the system from that role, rather than from deep, where he’s been playing before.
“But he’s a world-class player, he’s very diligent in what he does, it’s not luck and the boys really fed off that, and he got us on the front foot.”
Tommy Freeman struck twice for Northampton after Jack Singleton’s opening try for Gloucester, but scores from Chris Harris and Carreras put the hosts 21-12 up at half-time.
Fraser Balmain’s try then earned the Cherry and Whites a bonus point, with Saints only able to respond through James Ramm between two penalties by Carreras.
Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson said: “I seem to be talking a lot after games about how frustrating it is, but again we gave ourselves lots of opportunities to score points and didn’t convert that pressure again.
“Then in the second half discipline issues raise their ugly head again and we got on the wrong side of the penalty count, and a yellow card (for Lewis Ludlam).
“We are going to give penalties away at times, it’s then about how we recover from that, that we don’t give the next one away or don’t give the ball away after that.
“Not doubling up on errors and giving soft penalties away, or avoidable penalties, would be a good thing to focus on.
“We some really good stuff going forward and we’re very good at getting into the opposition 22, but when we’re there, we’re profligate with the ball.”
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It certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
Go to commentsHis best years were 2018 and he wasn't good enough to win the World Cup in 2023! (Although he was voted as the best player in the world in 2023)
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