Back to the bread and butter for Glaws

Having reached the semi-final of the LV= Cup – home to Newport Gwent Dragons Sunday March 13, 1-0pm, in case you missed it – Gloucester return to the bread and butter of the Premiership this weekend with a trip to Wasps, and it’s a must-win game if they are to maintain their recent promising improvement.

They have to do so, of course, without their international contingent, but the good news is that James Simpson-Daniel, and Paul Doran-Jones have both been released from the England squad. Wasps, in turn, have welcomed back Riki Flutey, Joe Simpson and Joe Worsley.
But work this one out – Sinbad was called up as cover for Nick Abendanon, who had a toe injury. But he, too, has now been released. So why was cover needed for a player who wasn’t going to play?
The fixtures while the Home Internationals are being played are a real test of a squad’s strength in depth and a club’s real right to contest the silverware.
Last weekend’s thumping win over London Irish won’t have done the dressing room morale any harm, and Glaws need to go into the Wasps game with a positive attitude.
Those who travel the country’s motorways to watch the teams have hardly been fully rewarded for their efforts this season, but now is the time for Glaws to put their travel sickness behind them and show that defeats at places like Newcastle, Leeds and Exeter are a thing of the past.
The combination of forward power and, more important, concentration together with the varied cutting edge being shown by the attack has been behind the recent improvement and while nobody is going to predict an unbeaten run last all season, Glaws have set a standard they know they need to live up to for the rest of the season.
Northampton are at home to Saracens in this weekend’s big game, while Leicester are at Leeds and fourth top Quins are at Exeter – fifth and sixth-placed Wasps and Glaws can’t afford a slip-up.
Over to you, Glaws, but remember they aren't all as easy to beat as Irish were last weekend.