Now that was NOT supposed to happen. As if losing at B*th wasn't bad enough, now Glaws have lost at Brizzle as well, and West Country crowing rights are just as important to the fans as Premiership points. No wonder Kingsholm coach Dean Ryan was angry after his side lost 29-26 at the Mem - he had every right to be and he's be expecting a quick response from the squad.
Amongst the many after-math comments that summed up his feelings and the feelings of many fans, Ryan told the BBC: "I am appalled and apologetic to everyone involved with Gloucester Rugby Club for those first 30 minutes. "We have 10 or 12 internationals that just stroll into town and then we stroll into a car crash and then we are surprised by the nature of it. "I don't accept that, and I don't expect that us being top of the league gives any sort of crumbs of comfort." Remove the menion of the car crash - he really was VERY angry - and you get the idea. He's trying to say his team expected to just tujrn up and they'd win. But not surprisingkly, Brizzle had other ideas and they played above themselves to earn their victory. Tries by James Simpson-Daniel, Jack Adams and Anthony Allen gave Glaws a comofrtable 17-9 lead in the first half, but Brizzle hit back and were ahead at the break. There was enough experience in the Glaws side and plenty of talent. They were ahead from the start - but they blew the lot and in the end they got what they deserved: nothing. As Ryan says, they need to play better than this if they are not going to waste their good start to the season. And if anybody thinks that the result shows how competitive the Guinness Premiership really is is some sort of consolation, he's wrong!
Wins against Ulster and Wasps have merely papered over cracks because to me Glaws have major problems and its a touch ironic that they are mostly in the forwards. I dont like seeing tight five forwards standing off ruck and maul, securing possession has to be the priority otherwise it looks a bit silly. What on Earth has happened to the Glaws lineout? It has been an absolute shambles for most of the season but has improved recently to the lofty status of 'bad'. There is something majorly awry in the basic timing between jump and throw let alone problems with the mechanics of getting a consistently accurate throw. Sides have sussed Glaws and realise that they are not great upfront and cant do a lot going forward if the only ball Glaws do get is slow and untidy. I fear its going to be a long rest of the season if Glaws' problems are not rectified soon.
Come on every side had a blip and when you are top everyone tries that little bit harder against you. Nos die has t a right to dominate the pine-out .... the important tyhing is that you learn form defeats and it makes you stronger.
Glaws are not the only the only side adopting this business of forwards standing off the rucks and mauls. It is an annoying trend in rugby. Italy showed the other week what problems you cause by hitting each ruck hard with numbers. This is how England beat the Aussies in the RWC. You should then soon drag in the opposition forwards and then you have the space for the backs to attack. With our backs, surely what we want is good quick clean ball with space.
I do not want to criticise DR, because he is close to Godlike status, but it does seem to be a coaching issue.
All right then, who IS going to criticise DR? The buck has to stop somewhere.
I've just settled down after a couple of days of anger. But something has to be done. Whether DR's blast will do the trick remains to be seen.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:02:19:18:32:33 by Two Sheds.
I am holding myself back also. I just do not want to sound all 'footballish' about it and risk the interpretation that I am after the coaches head. He must have time to sort this out, but he now needs to get on with it or otherwise knives will come out from certain quarters.
The crIticism will start flying if Glaws lose to Munster and fall away in the league. Both could still happen considering Glaws' run in to the seasons end. It really is time for Glaws to deliver and prove they deserve to be called a top side, starting with the Falcons on Saturday.
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