'Somebody needed to step up and say something after embarrassing defeat'

STRIKE the Bath defeat from your minds, Akapusi Qera told a stunned Gloucester squad.

Yes it was the worst performance of the season, embarrassing even.

But wallow in self pity and we will self-destruct.

Kingsholm's quiet man had spoken – and with that, the analysis session was over.

Gloucester were humiliated 32-5 in the LV=Cup by Bath at Kingsholm on Saturday, February 2.

As the inquests dragged on two days later, Fijian flanker Qera interrupted – to snap focus forward.

The Cherry and Whites dispatched Northampton 27-11 in a comprehensive return to form at the weekend.

Qera will never seek a career in public speaking, but he knows how to command a room.

"Someone needed to step up and speak," he explained. "Defeat against Bath, it's the worst of our season.

"For me as a person I'm really embarrassed about that and I know the other boys are too.

"And we just couldn't carry it on into last week – it would have ruined our training for Northampton.

"We were better off ending it, and starting afresh with a new page to focus on the Saints.

"The boys managed it, and we enjoyed the win, so that's great.

"One performance doesn't make you a bad team.

"The best team is the side that recovers from defeat and goes on to win more games than they lose.

"So that's what I want from Gloucester now.

"Win more than we lose in these four games and we'll have done that in this section of the season."

Gloucester's Adams Park clash with Wasps tomorrow (kick-off 1pm) represents another pivotal step towards the Premiership play-offs.

Nigel Davies' bullish men blasted into Northampton Saints with defensive zeal last week.

Qera said seeing the likes of Tom Savage, Sione Kalamafoni and Lua Lokotui hurtle headlong into big hits only redoubles his resolve to produce ever-greater brutality.

That hardly seems possible from the 28-year-old blitzkrieg bludgeon, but he maintains he can find muscle to flex.

He continued: "It's good when everybody is putting hands on deck at the same time.

"It's good team work. It's great to see a few of the boys coming off the line and making big tackles.

"It pushes me as well to try to go to new levels, and keep on pushing my rugby to higher levels.

"This week is tough, just like last week.

"Every week now until the end of the season, every game is massive for us, because we're in a spot where we know the capability that we can produce when we get it right.

"We know we can be a team that earns a semi-final or final, but now we have to produce the right rugby for that.

"So the boys just need to put it in every week, to try to get these results."