Gloucester's director of rugby, George Skivington, didn't mince words following a crushing 36-17 defeat to Leicester Tigers. In a game that saw his team outplayed from the start, Skivington hinted at drastic lineup changes ahead of their next PREM battle.
The match quickly turned into a nightmare for Gloucester, as they found themselves trailing by 22 points within the first 16 minutes. Despite a late rally, the deficit proved too great to overcome. This loss, Gloucester’s 10th in the league and 16th across all competitions this season, has them teetering just above the relegation zone, barely clinging to hope for a spot in the Investec Champions Cup.
Skivington was critical of his team's performance, especially in the opening segments of the match.
“It was a disastrous first 20 minutes. There were a couple of key moments where individual players chose not to be more challenging in the tackle, and there were issues at the scrum,”
he lamented. The stats paint a grim picture: Gloucester missed 31 tackles and held less than half the possession throughout the game, a stark contrast to Leicester's more clinical play.
The dire statistics didn’t stop there. Gloucester was also outgained by nearly 100 meters with the ball in hand and spent the majority of the game defensively anchored in their own half. The sheer disparity in performance metrics between the two sides underscored a day to forget for the Cherry and Whites.
Looking ahead, Skivington is contemplating significant adjustments.
“If I was picking a team now for next week, there would certainly be some changes in it,”
he asserted with a tone suggesting patience is wearing thin. His words signify potential upheavals in the squad as they aim to salvage their season.
With a pause in their schedule due to the European break, Gloucester has time to regroup. They are not participating in the upcoming Investec Champions Cup or EPCR Challenge Cup knock-outs, giving them a crucial period to reflect and perhaps overhaul their strategies and lineup.
The next fixture against Bristol Bears looms on the horizon on Friday, April 17. It represents more than just another match; it's a pivotal moment for Skivington and his squad to right the ship or risk continuing their freefall in the PREM standings.
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Gloucester's director of rugby, George Skivington, didn't mince words following a crushing 36-17 defeat to Leicester Tigers. In a game that saw his team outplayed from the start, Skivington hinted at drastic lineup changes ahead of their next PREM battle.
The match quickly turned into a nightmare for Gloucester, as they found themselves trailing by 22 points within the first 16 minutes. Despite a late rally, the deficit proved too great to overcome. This loss, Gloucester’s 10th in the league and 16th across all competitions this season, has them teetering just above the relegation zone, barely clinging to hope for a spot in the Investec Champions Cup.
Skivington was critical of his team's performance, especially in the opening segments of the match.
“It was a disastrous first 20 minutes. There were a couple of key moments where individual players chose not to be more challenging in the tackle, and there were issues at the scrum,”
he lamented. The stats paint a grim picture: Gloucester missed 31 tackles and held less than half the possession throughout the game, a stark contrast to Leicester's more clinical play.The dire statistics didn’t stop there. Gloucester was also outgained by nearly 100 meters with the ball in hand and spent the majority of the game defensively anchored in their own half. The sheer disparity in performance metrics between the two sides underscored a day to forget for the Cherry and Whites.
Looking ahead, Skivington is contemplating significant adjustments.
“If I was picking a team now for next week, there would certainly be some changes in it,”
he asserted with a tone suggesting patience is wearing thin. His words signify potential upheavals in the squad as they aim to salvage their season.With a pause in their schedule due to the European break, Gloucester has time to regroup. They are not participating in the upcoming Investec Champions Cup or EPCR Challenge Cup knock-outs, giving them a crucial period to reflect and perhaps overhaul their strategies and lineup.
The next fixture against Bristol Bears looms on the horizon on Friday, April 17. It represents more than just another match; it's a pivotal moment for Skivington and his squad to right the ship or risk continuing their freefall in the PREM standings.