Talking Rugby Union consider Gloucester's chances this season
Billy Twelvetrees captains Gloucester this season
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Last Season: 9th in Aviva Premiership, 2nd in LV=Cup pool, 2nd in Heineken Cup pool, knocked out of Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals by Wasps.
Director of Rugby: David Humphreys
Captain: Billy Twelvetrees
Transfers:
In: John Afoa (Ulster), Mark Atkinson (Bedford Blues), Callum Braley (Bristol), Mariano Galarza (Worcester Warriors), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), James Hook (USA Perpignan), Tom Isaacs (Ospreys), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh), Aleki Lutui (Edinburgh), Steve McColl (Yorkshire Carnegie), Tom Palmer (Wasps), Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers), Jacob Rowan (Yorkshire Carnegie), Aled Thomas (Scarlets).
Out: Jonny Bentley (Jersey), Koree Britton (London Welsh), Andrew Bulumakau (Doncaster Knights), Freddie Burns (Leicester Tigers), Drew Cheshire (Moseley), Jimmy Cowan (Tasman Makos), Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors), Huia Edmonds (RC Narbonne), Dan George (Worcester Warriors), Rupert Harden (Benetton Treviso), Tom Heard (Plymouth Albion), Tavis Knoyle (Cardiff Blues), Lua Lokotui (Beziers), Ryan Mills (Worcester Warriors), Thomas Young (Wasps), Andy Hazell, Tim Taylor, Mike Tindall (all retired).
Even the most ardent Bath fan couldn’t have envisioned Gloucester’s 2013/14 campaign going as badly as it did. The wheels finally fell off of a pack that had passed its best a season or two previously and teams consistently exploited the Gloucester set-piece both on the road and, to the ire of the Shed, at Kingsholm.
Chairman Ryan Walkinshaw took decisive action this offseason, not only bringing in a raft of new players, but also instilling Humphreys as the club’s new Director of Rugby and Laurie Fisher as the new Head Coach. There’s no doubt that Gloucester have gone through the most upheaval in the Aviva Premiership this summer, but things look set up for the West Country outfit to bounce back nicely in the 2014/15 campaign.
Key Signing: John Afoa
Plenty of options for this one and though considerable cases could be made for Hibbard, Hook or even Laidlaw, the Gloucester scrum was in such dire straits last season that it has to be the tighthead prop.
The former All Black adds significant weight and technical proficiency to a front row that had, with all due respect, flattered to deceive for a season or two before their disastrous showing in 2013/14. On his day, Afoa is still one of the very best tightheads in world rugby and given their current scarcity, his arrival from Ulster is a real coup for Gloucester.
Hibbard and Palmer will also be valuable additions to the Gloucester scrum, whilst Laidlaw and Hook will endeavour to give them direction from the half-back spots, but expectations will weigh heaviest on Afoa. If the Kiwi can bear them, Gloucester should be a markedly better side than they were last season.
Player to Watch: Billy Twelvetrees
Named captain for the 2014/15 season, there is no doubt that this will be a defining season in the career of Twelvetrees. With a bolstered pack and refreshed half-back combination, Twelvetrees should be in a good position to spark a talented Gloucester back line that under-achieved in the last campaign.
In addition to the burden of captaincy, the inside centre will also be looking to cement a place in the England side ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup and it will be interesting to see how he copes with increased pressure on both the domestic and international fronts. Gloucester fans will be hoping that the presence of Hook at fly-half will help bring out the best of Twelvetrees, and though the chemistry may take a few rounds to build, the potential of the combination is very exciting, especially if both players can click in their new roles.
Best Case Scenario: The lack of European Rugby Champions Cup rugby is a blessing in disguise for Gloucester, who can now focus on returning to the top half of the Aviva Premiership. Furthermore, the new signings bolster the ailing set-piece and provide more stability, allowing the talented back line to flourish.
Gloucester blow teams away with a fast-paced and dynamic game plan, and sneak into the playoffs thanks to not having the burden of top tier European rugby. Alternatively, the Challenge Cup is an eminently winnable competition for Gloucester this season and if their new signings bed in quickly, they could be a force in the latter stages of the competition as well as securing ERCC qualification via league position.
Worst Case Scenario: Age begins to catch up with Afoa and he struggles for fitness and/or consistency, leaving Gloucester under-manned in the front row, whilst Hook doesn’t click at fly-half and ends up playing at 15, forcing the club to push Twelvetrees inside.
With the set-piece continuing to struggle and Twelvetrees out of position, Gloucester once again to fail to qualify Europe’s premiere club competition and the pressure begins to mount on the duo of Humphreys and Fisher after just a season in charge.
Prediction: Gloucester have done a very nice job of strengthening the areas they were found wanting in last season, but breaking into the Aviva Premiership playoffs is an unenviable challenge. Wasps have improved their squad considerably and are a good bet to usurp Sale’s place in the ERCC qualification spots, leaving Gloucester to compete with Exeter and Sale for 7th and the chance to qualify for the ERCC via the playoffs. Sale could fall away this season, but Exeter should put up an earnest challenge. Gloucester secure 7th, just.
