Kingsholm Virtual Inn- come on in.

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An interesting side put out by Glaws, but it shows the strength of the squad that the changes don't really affect the strength of the team. I'm really pleased to see Knight get a start and for Harden to get a long overdue rest!

Rob Cook; Charlie Sharples, Mike Tindall, Billy Twelvetrees, Shane Monahan; Freddie Burns, Jimmy Cowan; Nick Wood, Darren Dawidiuk, Shaun Knight; Tom Savage, Jim Hamilton (capt); Sione Kalamafoni, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan

Replacements:
Huia Edmonds, Dan Murphy, Dario Chistolini, Will James, Matt Cox, Dan Robson, Tim Molenaar, Martyn Thomas

Strong side put out by Chiefs and we'll definitely have to be on top of our game. It sounds like it's going to be a sell out, so hopefully the crowd lift Glaws to another win against a strong side.

Asbo, I hope you and yours have a great Christmas, but if you don't mind the only present I'm willing to give is a losing bonus point!

15 Luke Arscott
14 Gonzalo Camacho
13 Phil Dollman
12 Jason Shoemark
11 Matt Jess
10 Gareth Steenson
9 Haydn Thomas
1 Brett Sturgess
2 Simon Alcott
3 Hoani Tui
4 Aly Muldowney
5 James Hanks
6 Dean Mumm
7 James Scaysbrook (capt)
8 Richard Baxter

16 Neil Clark
17 Ben Moon
18 Carl Rimmer
19 Tom Hayes
20 Ben White
21 Kevin Barrett
22 Ignacio Mieres
23 Ian Whitten

Good side, but I thought J May was meant to be ready for a couple weeks ago?!

I think it's the fabled 2 week injury ER! He is apparently able to run at full speed now, so hopefully it won't be long but I certainly expected him to be on the bench for this one...

ER, just seen this, it answers a few questions...

http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/matchdaytv/?play=media&id=13836

So he's a week and half away and he's a wing!

HongKongCherry wrote:ER, just seen this, it answers a few questions...

http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/matchdaytv/?play=media&id=13836

So he's a week and half away and he's a wing!

Awesome, cheers mate! Hope you have a good one tomorrow, here's to a crushing win .

Phew that was close

I thought Exeter played the conditions far better than we did and I'm not sure why we were so intent on throwing the ball around. But I suppose as we dominated the scrum so much, the thought was that we could just get a penalty from a scrum from a dropped pass! Poor old Dawiduik had a nightmare today at the lineout and it certainly made the game far closer in the first half. I thought the ref was relatively poor as he missed too many things for both sides and how he did not card an Exeter player I do not know. Countless scrum penalties and offsides in their 22 went unpunished in terms of a yellow. Nevertheless, we got a win and we can all have a great night!

Thought it would be close, yes, even that close. Naff day for it, but someone had to lose. Bad luck Chiefs.

tight tight. Weather marginally favoured the visitors, closest victory this season, but a vital win.

Looking at some other online forums, it appears a lot of Chiefs fans think the refereeing was massively biased towards Glaws. I really didn't think that was the case.

Many of them listening on BBC Radio Devon heard the commentary team describe almost all penalties against Exe as "dubious", which of course they agreed with, despite not actually watching the match. It sounds like problems with this broadcast led them to BBC Radio Glos, where they took our commentary team's thoughts with "a pinch of salt". Perhaps do that with your own breed as well!

I thought Chiefs got away with a lot of wayward lineout throws, offsides and foul play but the ref made mistakes concerning both sides. Taking home advantage into account, I think the final result was about right and the great evening I had with the Chiefs fans made it all the better.

Team's are up. 2 strong sides and Irish can never be taken lightly, however, this really should be a win for Glaws and hopefully even a TBP...

GLAWS
Rob Cook; Charlie Sharples, Mike Tindall (capt), Billy Twelvetrees, Shane Monahan; Freddie Burns, Jimmy Cowan; Dan Murphy, Huia Edmonds, Shaun Knight; Tom Savage, Will James; Sione Kalamafoni, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan

Replacements:

Darren Dawidiuk, Nick Wood, Dario Chistolini, Peter Buxton, Matt Cox, Dan Robson, Tim Molenaar, Martyn Thomas

IRISH
15. Tom Homer; 14. Jonathan Joseph*; 13. Sailosi Tagicakibau*; 12. Steven Shingler; 11. Marland Yarde; 10. Ian Humphreys; 9. Patt Phibbs; 1. Alex Corbisiero*; 2. David Paice*; 3. Halani Aulika*; 4. George Skivington; 5. Bryn Evans* (Captain); 6. Matt Garvey; 7.Jebb Sinclair*; 8. Chris Hala’ufia*

Replacements: 16. Scott Lawson*; 17. Max Lahiff; 18.Leo Halavatau; 19. Kieran Low; 20. Jamie Gibson; 21. Guy Armitage; 22. Shane Geraghty*; 23.
Jack Moates

thanks HKC, yes a v good Glaws lineup.
My turn for driving 5 of us tomorrow, so will be on light drinks at the Kingsholm. Hope to celebrate a good win afterwards too.

What's happening with Jonny May? I've not seen him play in what feels like ages. I'm assuming it is because of injury but I haven't found any recovery dates on the web anywhere.

Its the 2 week syndrome Cumbrian - he's been 2 weeks away for the last 3 months. Apparently he is now in full contact training, so should be back for the Amlin. But I'll believe it when I see it...

Henry Trinder on injury list too.
Saw him signing autographs in the club shop 15th december with these other sick list mates:

Alex Brown - sadly retired on injuries since I saw him in the shop.
Sinbad (again) - said vaguely about returning mid Feb, not too happy.
Hazell - well banned not sick. Ban over by mid Feb approx.

A recent article on thisisgloucestershire claimed that J May, Trinder, Harden and Mills were virtually 100% fit but don't expect to see them on Saturday. Really promising, four outstanding players there.

As for the game, 3/3 wins against Irish so far. Edwards has walked out and it was a demolition in the Amlin. I'm quietly confident.

Woeful

So... That didn't quite go to script did it??

You have probably just condemned Sale to the bottom of the league too with that result.

On a brighter note you're only one win from the top four so nothing to be too devastated about.

Certainly not the end of the world yappy, but we can't play like again this season if we have any aspirations to be in the top 4.

On an England note, Morgan and Sharples were the only players to come out with any credit and both outperformed their team mates by a country mile.

Good to hear about Morgan. I'd love to see Sharples get a good run of games for Eng to try to build some form but can't ever see it happening sadly.

Humble Pie now added to the menu at The Kingsholm, washed down with some bitter ale. V disappointed in this hungover Glaws squad.

Exceptions: Morgan, Sharples, Robson when he cam on and even HRH Tindall in first 1/4, looked sharp & hungry. The others looked a bit dozy, and tried too little, or occasionally too much. Burns tried some fancy sh#t which often failed, whereas simpler rugby, short passes, aim the ball, catch the ball, just basics, was what was needed.

I read that Mr Catt was at the game talent spotting for England. He must have wished he had gone to another match instead.

Strong side chosen for tonight's game; the long-awaited return of May and Trinder is finally upon us - they line up alongside Burns and Sharples. Good to have the fantastic four back in the same side!

Jim Hamilton also makes a return, and with Mills and Harden making an imminent comeback, it's almost like a transfer window for us!

Full XV for tonight:

Rob Cook; Charlie Sharples, Henry Trinder, Tim Molenaar, Jonny May; Freddie Burns, Dan Robson; Nick Wood, Darren Dawidiuk, Dario Chistolini; Jim Hamilton (capt), Will James; Sione Kalamafoni, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan

Replacements:

Huia Edmonds, Dan Murphy, Shaun Knight, Peter Buxton, Gareth Evans, Dave Lewis, Mike Tindall, Martyn Thomas

Shame Hazell banned from playing agoinst his old friends at Bordeaux.

Wasn't he banned playing Mont-Du-Marsan?

Great to see the boys coming back from injury, just in time as well with call ups!

Prop, yeah. I'd forgotten which French side it was, but I think you are correct, as he was cited in the last French away game, so must have been MdeM.

Maybe we should play them as a testimonial to Hazell next pre-season?!

Prop, I like it

Back to winning ways. It sounded like Robson had a great game and as Andrew Pugh said "take a bow!" I really hope the club put up the charge down and subsequent chase, it sounded like an immense piece of work.

Well they show the charge down, but not the phase after...

http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/matchdaytv/?play=media&id=13993

BBC Glos have said today that a signing is to be announced tomorrow. Hopefully something to cheer us up after the debacle of last Saturday.

Whilst the odds on favourite would be to announce Kvesic, we're still to play Wuss so this may delay the announcement. Hopefully a big, nasty lock but it could easily be Kearnan Myall. We're being linked to James Hudson from Newcastle, but unless things have changed we can't officially approach Championship players until 1st March.

Welcome to Gloucester, Matt Kvesic http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/8238.php#.URIW1R3HE0k

We knew it was coming, but this is excellent news. He is the replacement we've needed for Hazell and should add some much needed balance to our backrow. Hopefully there are some more signings to come...

Excellent signing, loads of potential

EnglishReign wrote:Welcome to Gloucester, Matt Kvesic http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/8238.php#.URIW1R3HE0k

good news

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Excellent signing, loads of potential

He joins the ranks of our other local lads like Ryan Mills and Koree Britton

Although his claim to be local is far stronger than those two. Are you still being linked to Andy Saull? He'd be a great signing.

Such a good signing for you boys. With Kvesic, Morgan, and Savage in the rank, the Cherries sure will have some carrying grunt in the tight!

bluestonevedder wrote:Such a good signing for you boys. With Kvesic, Morgan, and Savage in the rank, the Cherries sure will have some carrying grunt in the tight!

A really good signing.

HongKongCherry wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Excellent signing, loads of potential

He joins the ranks of our other local lads like Ryan Mills and Koree Britton

Although his claim to be local is far stronger than those two. Are you still being linked to Andy Saull? He'd be a great signing.

Would prefer Scays to extend his contract rather than take Saull tbh

Outstanding! The forwards really stepped up, savage, Q & K were excellent as were Molenaar and Tindall. We really had to win this to show we can win thse big games.

What a win. We were fantastic, playing the rugby we've been threatening all season. Amazing that it came off with no Billy, Freddie, sinbad, Morgan or trinder. Awesome.

Cheerio Bucko, off to pastures new down in Bristol.

A proper club work horse. Never a flash player, but you'd be hard pressed to find a more committed player. It's a shame he never got his England cap in 2007 as his form then justified it.

His time has probably come and with the back row for next year likely to be Savage, K, Moriarty, Cox, Q, Kvesic, Hazell, Morgan and Evans, coupled with lock being Savage, James, Lokotui, Stooke, Hudson (?) and Graullich, Bucko would have really struggled for game time. I can't imagine his contract was huge, but it will free up resources elsewhere.

Good luck Bucko. A true Gloucester forward

Cowan out for 6 months Ouch!

He needs a break anyway.

No pun intended

Real shame, as he was excellent in the 15 minutes or so against Northampton. He's such a canny player, we'll really miss his experience, but it will give Dan Robson a fantastic opportunity. He's got to be in for a shout for the young player of the year.

Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere but haven't seen it mentioned... any opinions on the penalty try for Glaws v Wuss?

Personally I thought it was the right decision as I feel the pace of May should have seen him score, and it did look like a trip. I would say that a red card seems quite harsh and I would have probably gone yellow, although does that make any difference apart from to Claassens' record?

jeff, I have pretty much the opposite opinion! I feel the red card was justified, it was an act of foul play and he made no attempt to try and tackle May. He has since received a 1 week ban and think that is fitting.

I do feel the penalty try was quite harsh. I know the laws state a try only has to be probably scored, but I'm not entirely convinced it would have done. I don't think Lemi would have got back in time, but Hodgson was very close, especially as May was stepping back inside. He may well have scored, but I'm not sure you could say he probably would.

Nevertheless, what isn't in doubt is that it was a clear penalty. It would have been in the 22 and for a kicker of Cook's ability would have been no issue for him ton get. So whilst I feel Wuss were slightly hard done by on the PT, the kick would have gone over.

Fair enough, there were a few permutations as to what could have been given, but I think the result of the game turned out fair either way.

It was good to see Tins and Davies admit after the game that Glaws probably got the rub of the green with that decision, particularly after some of the football-esque partisanship from a few other coaches recently.

.

B91212 wrote:Saints being linked with Glenn Dickson, an Otago 10 with a supposed big boot. Would make sense seeing as JM stated that although he was looking at a new 10 they would have to be able to cover multiple positions, which this guy can (again supposedly, don't know anything about the guy). Played with Wilson in NZ so probably been recommended and not expected to be offered a Super 15 contract.

Just glad JM didn't mean Cipriani or the orange one when talking about 10's who can cover multiple positions......

Obviously all topics are welcome here, but did you mean to post that here?

HongKongCherry wrote:jeff, I have pretty much the opposite opinion! I feel the red card was justified, it was an act of foul play and he made no attempt to try and tackle May. He has since received a 1 week ban and think that is fitting.

I do feel the penalty try was quite harsh. I know the laws state a try only has to be probably scored, but I'm not entirely convinced it would have done. I don't think Lemi would have got back in time, but Hodgson was very close, especially as May was stepping back inside. He may well have scored, but I'm not sure you could say he probably would.

Nevertheless, what isn't in doubt is that it was a clear penalty. It would have been in the 22 and for a kicker of Cook's ability would have been no issue for him ton get. So whilst I feel Wuss were slightly hard done by on the PT, the kick would have gone over.

Agree with most of that. Was only watching on TV, but it's the only time I've wanted the Shed to shut up as Rosey struggled to hear those words "the player was clear!" from the TMO.

Cookie would've kicked the points. Great run from May as well.