MATCH PREVIEW: GLOUCESTER v WASPS
More smiles?
By Dobbin
October 21 2009
There's a question that you sometimes get asked as a rugby supporter. It comes around this time of the season, when the Gloucester away match is nigh. You might have mentioned, in passing, a visit to Kingsholm, a particular match that you went to, just as part of the general flow of conversation.
There'll be a slight pause and then your inquisitor will become still, fixing you with his or her eyes, a doubtful smile playing around the lips. And then they'll ask the question that always gets asked about Kingsholm:
“You didn't stand in the Shed, did you?”
Nobody ever asks you if you stood on the Crumbie at Leicester, or the Gordon's Terrace at Franklin's Gardens. But the Shed is different. The Shed has acquired its own place in the folklore of rugby union: it has become the epitome of Gloucester rugby. No club is more defined by its supporters.
If you've never been before, you end up imagining that this small patch of stepped concrete in the suburbs of Gloucester actually contains a small, unique sub-species of humanity that diverged from the main path in about 1891. You half expect to see David Attenborough broadcasting in hushed tones when you get there, keeping a wary eye on the native inhabitants while he describes their habitat and customs: the cherry and white markings, the herding instinct, the frequent, guttural call, soon taken up by the rest of the tribe: “Glaaaawstiiiiiir.” On my tape of the 2003 Zurich Premiership final, the commentary is punctuated from about twenty minutes in by an irate, West Country voice crying: “This is a traaaaaavesty!” Again and again comes the same indignant refrain. That bloke, I always think to myself – I bet he stands in the Shed.
If the reality is less intimidating than the stories, then that is to the credit of the citizens of the Shed. Vociferous, cyclopean and quick to pounce on opposition mistakes they may be. But they are also witty, mostly respectful of the game's traditions and above all fans of rugby. The fine line between banter and abuse is one that supporters of sport sometimes find it difficult to land on the right side of, but in my experience the Gloucester fans who inhabit the Shed judge it better than most. If you haven't been there before, I heartily recommend that you try it.
This weekend sees a return to Premiership action for two weeks, before the Autumn internationals and Anglo-Welsh Cup sidle onto centre stage in November. In the preview to the Northampton match before the break for Europe, I stated that four wins out of the first five matches would constitute a great start to the season. Having now achieved that, the next two weeks provide an opportunity for Wasps to really cement their place at the top of the league before winter brings its challenges.
Gloucester, for their part, have had a disappointing start to the season. After a bright victory over Bath in the opening game they were taken apart by London Irish (and old boy, Ryan Lamb) the very next week. Defeats to Northampton and Saracens followed, the losing run only ending with a visit to Headingley and a 26-10 defeat of Leeds at the beginning of October. In the last two weeks' Heineken Cup matches they recorded a narrow victory over Newport-Gwent Dragons at home, followed by another thumping on their travels, this time at the hands of Biarritz. All in all, not much to get your average Shedhead's heart racing.
How much of this can be attributed to the new coaching set-up under Brian Redpath – successor to Dean Ryan, who departed Kingsholm in the Summer – and how much to a spate of injuries that rivals Wasps' own, is of course impossible to guess. The injury situation has become so desperate that former captain Jake Boer has been signed on a short term contract to shore up the gaps in the back row. On Saturday Gloucester will probably be missing, amongst others, Luke Narraway, Marco Bortolami, Alex Brown, Nick Wood, Alasdair Strokosh and Peter Buxton, all to injury. In addition, Olivier Azam and Adam Eustace are still serving suspensions.
Ordinarily, such a weakened opponent would suggest a huge opportunity for an away win, but Wasps are beset by similar injury problems. Phil Vickery's operation brings the number of props missing to three, while Rob Webber and Tom Lindsay are absentees at hooker. Following Gloucester's example, perhaps we should put out an emergency call to former greats and field a front row of Probyn, Molloy and Leota! Behind the front five, Wasps are also missing Tom Rees, Danny Cipriani, David Lemi, Sharky Robinson and Simon Shaw. You get the feeling this weekend's match would more appropriately be staged in Henley on a Monday night.
Nevertheless, Wasps should be going to Gloucester with confidence. We have a fairly decent record at Kingsholm – since that 2003 final, we have won two from six and got within a point or two in the the past two seasons' defeats. With Gloucester's injury problems, and notwithstanding our own, this is an opportunity to maintain a winning run before the visit of Leeds next week.
Familiar faces will appear on the opposition for both sides. Long-serving Wasps winger Tom Voyce is in his first year at Gloucester, currently pressed into service as a full-back in place of yet another absentee, Olly Morgan. And on the Wasps side, ex-Gloucester prop Trevor Woodman makes his first visit back to Kingsholm as our forwards coach, while former Gloucester academy player Will Matthews will be hoping to make the Wasps team after good performances in recent weeks.
Whichever players are selected, they will of course be performing in front of the most partisan crowd on the circuit. What it's like to play in front of the Shed I couldn't begin to guess – the pre-requisites, I imagine, are a skin as thick as an elephant's and an inability to understand West Country accents. Lawrence Dallaglio used to thrive in such pressure-cooker atmospheres, inspiring the team as he went – naturally this made him a great favourite with the Shedheads, and they will doubtless be looking back this weekend with fondness and nostalgia. Failing that, they will be looking for another Wasps player on whom to heap their affection.
Will Wasps be inspired or intimidated? In this age of homogeneity and bland uniformity, where Leicester are forbidden their letters and Bath can't avoid number 13, where Harlequins are forced to have an 'away' shirt when no club within miles of the Premiership could imagine clashing with the 'home' one, some weeks go down on the fixtures list as 'just another game'. Thankfully, that can't ever be said for the visit to Kingsholm. Let us hope, for the sake of players and fans alike, that it never is.
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Last year I made my first ever trip to Kingsholm and decided to stand in the shed. I managed to squeeze my way into the thick of it on the halfway line and was a black & gold dot in a sea of cherry and white.
Incessant cries of "offside" aside, I had an awesome day in the shed and agree with all of Dobbins points above. A good bunch of fans ready for a good bit of banter. Unfortunately we can't make the game this week but I can't wait for my next visit to Kingsholm and the shed.
Thanks.
The fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side. - Yoda
I feel we really need to target Voyce. I was at the Glaws Sarries game (appeasing the other half), and he was woeful. His kicking from hand is terrible, barely making touch, and quite often just skimming over the ground at a height that would cut fresh daisies. I actually can't believe he's playing 15, and Glaws haven't put JSD or Spencer there.
Christchurch Wasp Esq.
KevinTheB
www.justgiving.com/kevinbroadbent
Agreed TV must be put under pressure, with a bit of luck (and inside info) he'll crumble and crack!
Let's face it, with our injury list we need a USP..
An excellent preview - I was so taken by it I had to sign up! As a neutral it will be great to feel the vibes. I am meeting up with a bunch of guys to celebrate the reunion of a trip in 1989 to follow the Lions in Australia, when they turned a first Test loss into a 2-1 series win. Twenty years on and I am not sure my liver is up to it!
If you see me (no hands, no feet!) I would enjoy taking a beer with you!
Best wishes,
Stumpy John
I watched the Rugby Club and feel that far too much is being made of Gloucester's seemingly poor start to the season, they have lost to Irish, Sarries and Saints in the GP, the three form teams so far. Yes their defence was a shambles in France but I can't see them being so generous at Kingsholm and to exploit any gaps we would need our pack to generate quick ball which hasn't exactly been our forte recently.
Having said that, Sacks will relish running at his former flatmate and I sincerely hope we make the most of the very welcombe early return of Lemi to give him some ball. The original TV will not be looking forward to tomorrow.
If we do manage to notch up a lead we can look forward to the other intriguing aspect of our friends in the Shed, the ability to turn on their own team and coaches with some hostility!
If we can put Lemi one on one with TV1 it'll be try time.
Great work Dobbin.
Great preview Dobbin once again
Come on Wasps !