Rugby Union: Gloucester's burden
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Bath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Gloucester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
WISE heads, shaking in disbelief and occasional despair, were concentrating on the future for Gloucester rather than the glittering display of power and precision that Bath can produce at will.
Bath's only worry on Saturday was how to replace the pounds 500,000 of sponsorship for their new south stand which Courage have withdrawn. Any corporate scouts could only have been impressed by a side who had a couple of gears to spare, ran in six tries and can attract more than 8,000 spectators. 'Electrifying,' Jack Rowell, the Bath coach, said afterwards. 'When we are on song we can take apart any team in the country,' Richard Hill added.
Gloucester have lost their way to the point where this hard-as-nails derby has become just another match, although the first 20 minutes did contain some of the finer elements of scrum skulduggery.
They are, however, much closer to turning the corner than the record of two draws and two losses in four outings suggests. Their coach, Keith Richardson, said he was going to top up 20 pints of stout with a little cyanide and then added that the problem was one of putting the basics right, kicking the goals and making the best of the talent available to them.
Gloucester need to do what they can already do, but do it better. They have a tall presence in the line-out and a tough one in the tight. In Marcus Hannaford they have an experienced scrum-half of imperturbable chunkiness. The young outside-half Paul Beech will be doing everything to make sure he never repeats such a dismal afternoon of touch-finding and place kicking, and the same goes for the full-back Tim Smith.
Gloucester have the spine of a team who can do better. It is too early to write them off, as London Irish may find this weekend.
Bath: Tries Clarke, Guscott, Ubogu 2, Adebayo, Hill; Conversions Callard 5; Penalties Callard 2. Gloucester: Tries Cummins, Holford; Conversions Smith, Beech; Penalty Beech.
Bath: J Callard; A Adebayo, P de Glanville, J Guscott, A Lumsden; M Catt, R Hill; G Chilcott, G Dawe, V Ubogu, M Haag, N Redman, A Robinson, B Clarke, J Hall (capt).
Gloucester: T Smith; P Holford, D Cummins, D Caskie (J Merchant, 19), M Nicholson; P Beech, M Hannaford; P Jones, J Hawker, R Phillips, D Sims, R West, P Ashmead, S Masters, I Smith (capt).
Referee: B Campsall (Halifax).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments