Go unbeaten and a top four place should be in our grasp
THE challenge now for Gloucester is to go unbeaten in the Premiership for the rest of the season – a run which should secure them a top four place, but isn't guaranteed to.
The remaining fixtures will all be difficult, but they play the top teams at home, in the shape of Saracens and Harlequins, and the struggling teams away, including a trip to bottom-of-the-table Sale.
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SEEING RED: Darren Dawidiuk was sent off against Bath for a tip tackle
Going into the Exeter away game at the end of the season, they could do with being in the play-off qualification places, because Sandy Park is a difficult place to go at any stage of the season, let alone under the pressure of it being a must-win.
Victory over Bath would have been a huge fillip for the Cherry and Whites heading into a two-week break when the LV= Cup will be decided.
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But it wasn't to be and the second prize of a losing bonus point meant the trip to the Rec was by no means a disaster.
You have to highlight the kicks that were missed by Freddie Burns on his return from injury.
Hopefully this was just an off day and normal service will be resumed soon on what has been an excellent season with the boot for the fly-half.
More of a concern for Nigel Davies will be the lack of set piece parity the Gloucester forwards achieved.
The performance of the forwards seems to have swung dramatically from game to game but with all hands on deck when the Six Nations is over in a couple of weeks, you would expect the pack to start firing again.
I don't think there could be any complaints about the two big decisions that went against Gloucester in the Bath match.
The penalty try looked correct to me, as did the Darren Dawidiuk tip tackle.
The tip tackle is such a sensitive area of the game at the moment that it's almost not worth ever lifting a player off the ground.
There was no malice from the Gloucester hooker, but once you lift a player up like that you are putting yourself in the danger zone.
The way the league table looks at the moment the top three places are sewn up by Saracens, Harlequins and Leicester.
Gloucester are left to battle it out with Northampton and Wasps for the remaining spot in the play-offs and it will probably go down to the wire.
23 Comments
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by Steve-Bronko
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:54PM
“Rupert Harden is easily the best tight head prop at Kingsholm.”
by Glaws_Surfer
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:51PM
“It would be a disaster waiting to happen if we went into the season's run in without Rupert Harden and therefore having to endure a weakened scrum.”
by Ruben_Hall
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:48PM
“Nigel Davies knows who his best players are and that is why he has selected Harden to start the most games of any front row player this season.”
by Conrad-Selby
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:46PM
“Most people know that Rupert Harden is the top rated and best tight head prop at Gloucester Rugby. The only one who denies this (because he is clueless) is the man of many identities jonno2010 and all his other identities.”
by Nick-Lewis
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:44PM
“Here's hoping that our top rated and best tight head at Glaws, i.e. Rupert Harden, was not seriously injured last Friday and that he is back for season's run in.”
by ffuddlebagley
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:42PM
“I am looking forward to seeing Harden at his magnificent best in the run in games. You just know that he is the best man for the job at tight head. I hope he is fit and available.”
by werewe
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:39PM
“Yep! He has no real challengers to HIS tight head position. Rupert Harden is the first choice when it comes to tight head.”
by Rory_Glaws
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:37PM
“Rupert Harden = Gloucester Rugby's number 1 tight head.”
by s-sorca
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:36PM
“Everyone knows by now that the multiple troll, jonno2010, hates Gloucester and Rupert Harden in particular. That's because he tried to rubbish Harden earlier in the season. But he failed because Harden proved time and time again to be the first choice tight head at Gloucester.”
by Newildon
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 9:35PM
“That is rich, the poor sad old troll jonno2010 telling Gloucester Rugby supporters to get a life when he is on here trolling every night and getting all wound up because he hates Gloucester Rugby and Rupert Harden, our best and most talented tight head.”