Jekyll & Hyde Glaws recover for Heineken win

Booed off at half-time Gloucester desperately needed the revival they produced to turn a 6-0 deficit into a 19-6 win to keep their Heineken Cup hopes alive against Glasgow at Kingsholm. Coach Bryan Redpath says there have been only two games this season in which the team has under-performed. Make that two and a half, because the first half on Sunday hardly hit the heights.

In fact, at times it plumbed new depths as Gloucester looked bad enough to become the first English club team to loose at home to a Scottish side in the competition.
But Nicky Robinson’s kicks levelled the scores before Charlie Sharples scored a good try and Alex Brown  added another (right)to complete the recovery.
"There have only been two games this year that we have underperformed in. Other games we have lost because we have not played well enough," Redpath told the BBC.
"Today was about us winning and getting confidence and getting back on track.
"We have had six months of ifs and buts, so I am chuffed how we all got something out of it today."
Whether that something is enough to make progress in the competition is doubtful, but at least the second half gave the team and the fans something to hang on to before the big one against Bath next weekend.
Redpath had demanded passion from the players for the Glasgow game, but all he got in the first half was apathy from the team, and anger from the fans.
It’s not known what was said at half-time, but something happened and at last the Glaws pack started to compete and in the end they got their reward, as well as some measure of revenge for the previous weekend’s humiliation in Scotland.
But the topsy-turvy form Glaws have shown this season was on display in just one game this time and as long as this inconsistency continues, it’s going to be a frustrating second half to the season for all concerned.
And now, to make matters worse, there’s a fresh fear that one of Gloucester’s mainstays could be on the way out of the club, with James Simpson-Daniel telling the Guardian: "I have always wanted to finish my career here but you never know what the future might hold. A number of us have turned down better offers from other clubs because we want to win a major trophy with Gloucester."
The prospects of trophies landing at Kingsholm look remote, but as Sinbad himself admits, his form isn’t up to much either so he’s not in a very strong position to attract interest from other clubs when his contract expires at the end of next season.

Merry Christmas and

Happy New Year

from Shedloads