Gloucester, who have again been consistent only in their inconsistency this season, have recalled three of their internationals for Saturday’s West Country derby against Bath, who have not lost in the Premiership at Kingsholm since 2012.
Greig Laidlaw – the captain – Billy Twelvetrees and James Hook, who were all on the bench last weekend when Gloucester lost at home to Newcastle, return to the back division under orders to turn chances into points.
Gloucester finished eighth in the Premiership last season and while they go into the fifth round in seventh place, they have only won one of their opening four matches and lost both in front of their own supporters with Leicester clawing back a 31-7 deficit to win 38-31 on the opening day of the campaign.
“The shape of our game is sound,” said the Gloucester head coach, Laurie Fisher. “The big work this week has been in making sure we turn A-zone opportunities into points. We have to treasure the ball more and we were a bit loose last week. In the three games where we’ve been above our target for acceptable turnovers, we’ve either lost or drawn. The one match where we were under our target figure, we won.
“We probably need to change the structure of our game when we get into the attacking 22 to consolidate possession, ramp up our physicality and find different ways of getting the ball over the line. We don’t need to gee up the boys for the Bath derby, which is massive for players and supporters.”
Bath have won six of the past seven league meetings between the clubs, their one blip coming at the Recreation Ground this year, and their director of rugby, Todd Blackadder, is looking for an immediate response after the club’s winning start to the season came to an end at Leicester last Sunday.
“What better way to bounce back than in a West Country derby,” said Blackadder, who has again named two captains, the fly-half George Ford and flanker Matt Garvey. “It is a partnership that is working well for us. They both have great leadership qualities and their own areas of expertise – Matt with the forwards and technical aspects, and George with running the game and the wider look at things.”
Bath’s focus will be on silencing the Shed at Kingsholm. “We want to bully teams and get on top of them up front,” said the prop Henry Thomas. “Derby day is a good way of getting over the loss to Leicester and getting our teeth stuck into Gloucester. They have lost their last three home games and we aim to really test them out.”
Leicester are at Sale on Saturday, again without their England centre Manu Tuilagi while Bath are missing Jonathan Joseph for the third week in a row. The Australia midfielder Matt Toomua, who joined up with the Tigers’ squad this week, will not be considered for a few weeks as he acclimatises.
“Matt is a Leicester player now and he will be with us for the rest of his contract term,” said Cockerill. “It is great to have him because since Anthony Allen retired last season, the 12 jersey has not been filled in the way he did, and Pat Howard before him.
“Now we will have a genuine 12 in there and he will help us run the game from that position. Along with Freddie Burns and Owen Williams, Peter Betham and Manu Tuilagi, we will start to be able to put some tasty combinations together over the rest of the season.”
Tuilagi, who hopes to return from his latest groin injury later this month, agrees. “JP Pietersen and Matt have added to the strength of our back division and it is going to be an exciting time,” he said. “Big players are just what we need and I am excited at the thought of playing alongside Matt.”
The Australian’s arrival will mean Leicester all but ending the experiment of playing Tuilagi at 12, the position Eddie Jones, the England head coach, believes is where the 25-year old’s Test future lies.
Worcester have given their captain, GJ van dear Velze, a prolonged period of rest after the No8 suffered another concussion against Saracens on the opening day of the campaign. “We have a duty of care and even though GJ is desperate to play, we have to manage him after a series of concussions,” said the Warriors’ high performance director, Nick Johnston. “If a player returns too early, it may have long-term health consequences.”
