Gloucester are on thee up, and are so gunna win the premiership!

[05horlerli]

What do youuu thinnk..?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think they'll be torn a new one when Tigers are back to full strength
Not going to count out Saints either, once Six Nations are over

 

[Teh Mite]

Saints run for a home playoff is pretty much done.

Gloucester have it tricky with Tigers, Saints and Sarries all in a space of 7 days come the end of April. will make or break their season. I think they'll beat Saints (who have 3 in 7 themselves), but Vicarage and Welford road will be a bridge too far.

At least until the playoffs.

 

[veux]

I don't think so - player for player they aren't near the class of the Tigers, Saints or Sarries. Then again, at home they might make it quite far and they're playing consistently well so who knows.

 

[Westy]

So much depends on whether we can manage to get a home semi - final ... that's a big ask with 3 games in 8 days and probably the most difficult run in to the end of the regular season of the current top 6 ... but momentum is king, and we've now gone 10 without defeat ... this weekend's final against Newcastle is maasive, because if we win the pressure is off for HC rugby next season and hopefully we can relax a bit. But we've so many injuries and international call ups that the one off final may not go to plan - or to form ...

Mike Tindall will be desperately disappointed at missing the Ireland match - get well soon Mike, hope the rehab goes well, and that you're able to lead Glaws to glory ...

 

[Peat]

Westy, how do Glaws fans rate Tindall?

Also, which of your youngsters would you expect to make the international frame?

 

[Westy]

Peat, Mike had the obvious disadvantage when he arrived of having played for B*rf ... now that disadvantage in some people's eyes never goes away ... but, apart from that one eyed minority, supporters soon got to see the benefits he added to the team ... we always seem to be more solid in defence when he plays - he organises defence very well. He's the quiet, lead by example type of captain, who doesn't bawl people out (at least, not in public!). Very well respected, big void when he goes.

Of the youngsters, Sharples has done tremendously well this year, Narraway appears to have finally learnt that it's a team game, and is now making a massive contribution, Trinder and May are two up and coming outside / midfield backs, and Dave Lewis at 9 and Freddy Burns at 10 COULD break through to the next level if they continues to play behind a winning pack. But we will sorely miss Paul Doran-Jones and Nicky Robinson when they move on at the end of this season (and to a lesser extent Attwood, though he has discipline problems and we have 3 or 4 other more than adequate second rows).

Like many Glaws supporters, I can never understand how Simpson-Daniel, Morgan, Wood, Hazell and Brown have been continually ignored by England. If any of them played for a more fashionable club they would have a cupboard full of caps by now.

So I'm not confident that any of the current crop of youngsters will get any England recognition ...

 

[Teh Mite]

Sharples will be my choice as replacement for Cueto post World Cup.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Sharples looks a decent prospect has some pace too.

 

[Peat]

You make a fair point Westy. Jonno clearly hates Glaws.

I've been very impressed by Burns when I've seen him, and thought May was standout for the U20s last year - Sharples I hear good things about but never see. Anyway, fingers crossed they all go well, if only to **** off Bath (never liked 'em).

 

[Westy]

Cheers Peat - we still need to come good in the big games - some say we "bottle" easily eg Munster at home in the HC QF, Wasps in the Premiership Final, I could go on - so Sunday will be an excellent opportunity for the boys to show they can actually win things (apart from the junior Euro Shield thingy). Of course the Premiership ***le and HC are (imho) light years away from us, although the current team is blasting well, and IF we can do well enough to get a home semi final, you never know what could happen ... big threat, as always, is of course Leicester, who have so much experience of the big occasion and so much strength in depth in their squad. Also it will be interesting to see how - or if - we pick ourselves up when we do eventually lose a game (which is of course bound to happen sooner or later).

I reckon we'll stay well above B*rf this season ... but with their "money no object" ownership we may struggle to do so in future.