Gloucester Thread

[j'nuh]

A thread for Gloucester things.

Looking forward to next season a lot now. So many positive signings.

Potential 23:

1. Wood
2. Hibbard
3. Afoa
4. Stooke
5. Hudson
6. Savage
7. Kvesic
8. Morgan
9. Robson
10. Hook
11. May
12. Twelvetrees
13. Trinder
14. Simpson-Daniel
15. Cook

16. Lutui
17. Yann Thomas
18. Puafisi
19. Palmer
20. Kalamafoni
21. Laidlaw
22. Aled Thomas
23. Sharples

(Although I am also very keen to see 10. Aled Thomas 13. Hook - which IMO is better defensively and plays to Hook's strengths, but it depends on whether Aled Thomas is good enough to be first-choice in such a pivotal role.)

Best Gloucester team in years IMO. I think Glos can be competitive at the top next season, although I suspect it will be the season after and a couple more changes where this squad starts to become a real threat to the Premiership ***le.

After the last year, I'm very excited to see some scrums. I think we have a front 5 and scrum coach that will now cause most teams issues. A complete reversal of a year ago. Personnel-wise, I see it as perhaps a top 3 scrum, along with Bath and Sarries. Not just because of the starting front row, but that there is some serious depth to the Gloucester front 5 next season (especially at tighthead), along with a very powerful backrow. The missing link is a top loosehead. If the Wood of a couple of years ago shows up, the scrum will be absolutely lethal.

 

[glawsfan]

Personally from that team I would have Kalamafoni instead of Savage. Laidlaw isntead of Robson as I think Robson would make a better imapct off the bench also Palmer instead of Hudson.

Another interesting thing next season will be the back 3 I can't see Sharples being too happy sat on the bench personally I would play him at 15 as he would be a better option than Cook. He's played there before and done quite well a back 3 of May,Simpson Daniel and Sharples would be immense.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

What's the reaction among fans to the appointments of David Humphreys as DoR, Laurie Fisher as Head Coach, Nick Walshe as Backs/Attack Coach and John Muggleton as Defence Coach? On top of major player recruitment, I think it's a real statement of intent but could take a year at least to gel as a unit.

Humphreys won't suffer fools and if a player is underperforming, he'll be shipped out. His rebuilding of the Ulster squad was staggering considering the level they were at when he took over there.

 

[munstermuffin]

What's the reaction among fans to the appointments of David Humphreys as DoR, Laurie Fisher as Head Coach, Nick Walshe as Backs/Attack Coach and John Muggleton as Defence Coach? On top of major player recruitment, I think it's a real statement of intent but could take a year at least to gel as a unit.

Humphreys won't suffer fools and if a player is underperforming, he'll be shipped out. His rebuilding of the Ulster squad was staggering considering the level they were at when he took over there.

Add in T. Woodman as scrum coach I believe

 

[welshglory]

Really impressive squad. Lock depth is still an issue to really have a go at top 4 though imo

Edit: in terms of enforcers that is

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Weird that they've not looked to recruit at loosehead.
They'll have arguably the best 2 and 3 in the league, Puafisi has played well as well, and then Wood, who has been poor for 18 months, and not much behind him.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Its a good 23, but the lack of depth could prove a real key point in terms of top 5.

You should get top 6 though.

 

[j'nuh]

What's the reaction among fans to the appointments of David Humphreys as DoR, Laurie Fisher as Head Coach, Nick Walshe as Backs/Attack Coach and John Muggleton as Defence Coach? On top of major player recruitment, I think it's a real statement of intent but could take a year at least to gel as a unit.

Humphreys won't suffer fools and if a player is underperforming, he'll be shipped out. His rebuilding of the Ulster squad was staggering considering the level they were at when he took over there.

I think there is a general feeling of awe from the Glos fans. The coach (and player) recruitment has exceeded expectation at every turn. Afoa was a surprise. Hibbard was a surprise. Hook was a major surprise - most thought we'd be starting the season with Laidlaw at 10. When Glos announced a worldwide search for their coaching system, many (cynically) thought that the search would stretch only as far as Wales; some were convinced it would be a Kingsley and Lyn Jones double-act. There was also the splitting of the DOR into the DOR and head coach, which surprised a lot of people. The board have spent a hell of a lot of money and I think this may lead to a fair amount of expectation, from the board and the fans. But most are mindful that it may take a couple of years and a small amount of re-structuring of the squad.

Really impressive squad. Lock depth is still an issue to really have a go at top 4 though imo

Edit: in terms of enforcers that is

For me, the enforcer position is fine. Stooke is one of the brightest prospects in English rugby (I suspect he'll be on the England radar sooner rather than later), I'm definitely in the "Savage is as good at 4" camp and Palmer is physical enough to play the role too. It's more the lack of a top 5 that worries me. The lineout was good with Hudson in the team, but does he bring enough in other areas compared to Parling/Kruis/Lawes? Don't think so.

Weird that they've not looked to recruit at loosehead.
They'll have arguably the best 2 and 3 in the league, Puafisi has played well as well, and then Wood, who has been poor for 18 months, and not much behind him.

I suspect the feeling was that we have three looseheads in contract and other areas to concentrate on. Murphy comes out of contract this year I believe. I would love Glos to use that opportunity to get in a big name loosehead and try to really hammer home a scrum advantage.

That said, I am a fan of Yann Thomas. He could be argued to be our most improved player of last year (him or Evans at least). If he continues improving, he'll make at least an adequate, if not good, option at 1. I also suspect him and Wood will have a much easier go at the scrums when lining up in the same front row as Hibbard and Afoa.

Its a good 23, but the lack of depth could prove a real key point in terms of top 5.

You should get top 6 though.

I think this is the key. Some areas of the squad have plenty of depth; others less so.

The front row is missing one quality loosehead imo but is good for depth (especially tighthead - Afoa is arguably the best tighthead in the league, and I think Puafisi and Knight would be amongst the best second-choice tightheads). The second row is fine at 4, but could do with a little more quality at 5. The back row is absolutely fantastic. Savage, Kalamafoni, Kvesic, Morgan and Evans are great players - internationals or players with the potential. Then there is Rowan, Moriarty, Dan Thomas and Ludlow providing back-up.

At 9, we have quality rather than quantity. Provided we can keep Laidlaw and Robson fit and we keep rotating, we should be fine here. Braley is third-choice and we will have to see how he manages the step-up. He's guaranteed to get game time at some point this season. At 10 is a curious one. Hook has always had question marks as to whether 10 is his position. I'm not sure how Aled Thomas was going last season. I heard good reviews when Priestland was out though. Centres is probably the weakest spot. Only 4 centres in the squad (excluding May) and only Twelvetrees has me totally convinced. Trinder has always been a defensive concern, Isaacs possibly an attacking concern, and I don't know about Atkinson. Wings are always a strength for Gloucester. And Cook is good enough at fullback - jury is still out on McColl. I suspect that given centres and fullback may be a concern at some point, Hook may find himself moving again. I would love him at 13, outside Twelvetrees.

On the whole, I'd say Gloucester have a better pack than backline right now.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

in the AI and 6 nations you could well be missing.

Hibbard
Kvesic
Morgan
Laidlaw
Hook
Twelvetrees
May

Who would be the players to come up into the bench? I don't know the injury records for you guys so couldn't comment on the players reliability in fitness i.e. you can almost bet your mortage Tait will miss a few weeks at least sometime in the season. I assume JSD is one of those for you?

Although I prefer tigers front row depth to yours by some distance.

 

[munstermuffin]

As someone who's seen Fisher work up close lads I will say Glaws forwards will be some beast. He has the players and he has the skills and tactical brain. Here's my new team for Aviva although I always love going there for Munster games

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

hopefully for England Moriarty and Kvesic learn as much as possible from him.

 

[j'nuh]

Hibbard -> Lutui, Dawidiuk. Don't know too much about Lutui tbf. I suspect that Tigers could be worse hit here tbh, with Youngs and Ghiraldini possibly missing.
Kvesic (although I doubt he'll play much of a part for England now) -> I think there is merit to playing Kalamafoni/Savage on the flanks. There is Moriarty too, not sure if it will be a year too early. Other than that, Rowan is the official back-up to Kvesic. Not too sure about him. Saw him in the Championship play-offs, wasn't totally impressed, though he had good reviews throughout the season otherwise.
Morgan -> Evans/Kalamafoni. We have three great 8s, but it has been so far Morgan that has seemed to have gone missing for Gloucester in the last year. Evans is one of my favourite players. Faster than Morgan and has a lot of strength. Don't think we will miss Morgan too much. (That being said, I am expecting a big improvement from Morgan this season. If he plays to his best, then this might change.)
Laidlaw -> Robson. I prefer Robson in a way. Not going to lie that we'll be missing a good bench player though. Braley is a bit of an unknown entity atm. Captained the England U20s but ended up benching by the end. We'll see, I guess.
Hook -> Aled Thomas. I don't think we'll be any worse hit here than the other top teams.
Twelvetrees -> Very much a worry.
May -> JSD and Sharples start on the wing. Monahan as back-up. Won't be missed much at all.

 

[j'nuh]

What an opening game for the rugby fan, Saints vs. Glos. Some big on-field international (or close-to being international) clashes:

Corbisiero vs. Afoa
Hartley vs. Hibbard
Lawes vs. Stooke
Wood vs. Kalamafoni
Clark vs. Kvesic
Fotuali'i/Dickson vs. Laidlaw/Robson
Burrell vs. Twelvetrees
North vs. May

etc.

 

[ratsapprentice]

http://www.espn.co.uk/premiership-2014-15/rugby/story/233199.html

Absolutely believable.

 

[j'nuh]

Bloody hell. Trevor Woodman has said that Elliott Stooke now weighs in at 19st 10 and compares him (physically) to Bakkies Botha. If anybody was concerned that England do not have a true "enforcer"...

Scary thing is - at 20 - I think we can expect that he's still not at his physical peak?

 

[j'nuh]

Speaking along those lines, this could be the heaviest pack in the Premiership:

1. Yann Thomas (18 st 10)
2. Hibbard (17 st 4)
3. Afoa (18 st 10)
4. Stooke (19 st 10)
5. Palmer (18 st 8)
6. Kalamafoni (18 st 8)
7. Kvesic (16 st 5)
8. Morgan (18 st 3)

And then you have guys like Wood, Puafisi, Lutui, Hudson, Savage, Evans off the bench. Not exactly lightweights themselves.

(Weights taken from wikipedia/club website, so may be old. Would love to know where they all stand now.)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Imagine Kitchener and Stooke as a partnership both 19stone +, both 6ft 6" and both mobile pretty strong pairing.

What other English second rowers are 19stone +?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Dave Attwood
Will Spencer
Matt Garvey

 

[Maverick1987]

Bloody hell. Trevor Woodman has said that Elliott Stooke now weighs in at 19st 10 and compares him (physically) to Bakkies Botha. If anybody was concerned that England do not have a true "enforcer"...

Scary thing is - at 20 - I think we can expect that he's still not at his physical peak?

Wikipedia and Gloucester rugby have Stooke down as being 17st 13 (115kgs)

 

[ratsapprentice]

Don't listen to that - wikipedia and club pages are consistently incorrect.