Time To Reflect

The dust has settled and the Edinburgh excesses have worn off. So what now for Gloucester? Do we have the ability to get back among the top half dozen of English and European rugby?  

The lesson we learnt at Murrayfield was that our set piece has to improve . Once upon a time the Glaws pack was the most feared in the land, but that is no longer the case and Stade Francais simply won more ball than we did and deservedly won the game.

We went into the final with half a dozen players knowing they would be plying their trade elsewhere next season, and, while the likes of Hibbard and Laidlaw always give their best, you have to wonder if all the imminent coming and going was a factor in our team lacking a vital match winning spark.

Fortunately, we have a new head coach coming in who will hopefully be able to re-ignite the cherry and white spirit of old. 

Johan Ackermann has a reputation for getting the best out of players and this is what David Humphreys said when he was appointed. "We were particularly impressed by his proven ability to take a team that has under-performed, and turned them into Championship contenders."

That comment was made before our season ended without any silerware or a place at Euope's top table next season. It  has proved to be very apt.