Kingsholm Virtual Inn- come on in.

First topic message reminder :

Gloucester fans need somewhere to chat over a (an imagined) pint of Rucking Mole or Doombar.
Come on in fellas and ladies, take a seat.
Away fans welcome too.
What's happening then at GRFC & Kingsholm ?
Gossip, scuttlebutt, salacious rumour, even rubgy news - share it here.
Lord Leveson has not discovered 606, so you may speak easy here.
Seasonal mince pies & cognac available in nearby Gtown.
Merry Christmas to all our visitors.

HongKong don't be so bleak! Your defence looks good it was really physical at times! It say's alot about a team when on 70 minutes the hits are getting bigger still!!

And to be honest if Tindall had stayed on and Twelvetrees had stayed at 10 I think the second half would have been totally different. You ended up with no one in the backs who could carry the ball direct in to traffic like he does, and your bench 10 is just soooo average.

The 2nd half subs made the pack seem stronger, but the backs were weakened. Lost our rythm after the card, which indirectly led to HRH injury/ departure. I was impressed how our 7 man scrum (after Big Jim injury) won a penalty from the scrum just inside the Bordeaux half.

gregortree wrote:35-12 - you heard it here first.

On the evening just short by a try we should have scored, plus 36's missed penalty.

yappysnap wrote:HongKong don't be so bleak! Your defence looks good it was really physical at times! It say's alot about a team when on 70 minutes the hits are getting bigger still!!

And to be honest if Tindall had stayed on and Twelvetrees had stayed at 10 I think the second half would have been totally different. You ended up with no one in the backs who could carry the ball direct in to traffic like he does, and your bench 10 is just soooo average.

I wouldn't say I was bleak as I am very confident about our future, but you can't polish last night's performance as it was rubbish. There were positives to be taken from the game, but in general I do feel that performance was a step back compared to recent games. Hopefully the next 2 games will see roaring victories for us!

A win is a win is a win mate

In 2nd half, the key domino event was James' unfortunate sin binning, and several others things then compounded from that (e.g. Tindall injury). The forced subsititutions in the backs made things worse. Tim Taylor & Brylcreem Robson really lost the plot at times. So Glaws were off balance and never got it back.

LEICESTER !
One name to make Glaws fans shiver. Used to be Baaarff, but we have laid that ghost for sevearl seaons past.
Leaving us now with Leicester as the great Glaws hoodooo. Leics have lost only to Quins & Toulouse in their recent matches, and they beat Hairsprays handsomely on Sunday. Glaws undefeated since the opening ambush by Saints, but have not faced a 'senior' side since that game. I'll be taking my (grown up )daughter to this one.. her first major game as she is not into rugby... (more pony club, was in same club as HRH's missus when younger, and worked as while on Horse & Hound mag). So what will she to make of Saturday's game ? Am I wise to be taking her to this one as her initiation ? Should I tell her not to bother ? Views from Glaws fans please .. come on boost my confidence.

Gone very quiet in here pending visit of Tigers. Is this an ominous sign ?

Everyone's aving their voice for the shed...apart from me, I've got to play Aberbargoed away in the cup.

Should be heading to Barf for the March match though

Prop, well done for still playing ( I stopped a while ago) and good luck in your match in the valleys.

Cheers fella, on a roll at the moment with victories and I'm finally back to playing lh after matches at th and hooker!!

GLAWS lose 3 players to the AIs:

Jim Hamilton
Ben Morgan
Charlies Sharples

So I guess this is not as bad as losses by some AP clubs like Leicester.

BARF:are lucky to lose only one player to England squad.
Wasn't like that back in the 90s.

Still waiting on news from Hazell

Hearing a 14 week ban! Can he do a coaching badge during that time?

prop_lyd wrote:Hearing a 14 week ban! Can he do a coaching badge during that time?

14 weeks is now on the Beeb site

14 weeks.

Ouch.

very funny Hersh, yes

I guess he'll be appealing?

Gutted to be missing the game tomorrow, made even worse because I'll be at the Wreck watching

I shall be saying 5 Hail Mary's and partaking in the 8 pint challenge as punishment!

Can't remember wanting Glaws to win a game more. Come on Burns, teach Toby a few lessons in attacking rugby.

Good article on our man Burns by Greenwood

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/9636239/Will-Greenwood-England-selectors-must-break-the-mould-and-select-maverick-fly-half-like-Freddie-Burns.html

Great so I'm stuck with this location for another week at least!

But well done anyway, it's always nice to see Leicester lose

Well done Glaws. Most teams would have wilted in the face of that onslaught by Tigers in the last 30 minutes.

hell yes glaws are there..................!!!!!!!!!!!1 nige has done us proud

I am literally.... speechless... shouted myself hoarse today. Saved our best performance for the best opponents so far this term. Also my London daughter's inaugural visit to a Jeff match, so we both had a brilliant time. Better than expected. GLAAAAAAWSTER !
PS: Hersh - glad you enjoyed the result.

What a game! I've already watched it 3 times and will watch it some more! You have to give huge credit to the players, they have managed to develop a steely determination that we've not had for years. Likewise, credit must go to Paddy Anson, the players are clearly fitter than ever.

It was very strange watching the game at the Wreck and I'm sure I made far more noise than the Bath crowd, although that wasn't hard!

Hell of a performance. When do the players leave for the internationals?

EnglishReign wrote:Hell of a performance. When do the players leave for the internationals?

Tonight I think.

You come to the Stoop next week, where it will be a green(ish) Quins side you face, as we could see Brown, Robshaw, Marler and Care rested-

I predict a side roughly like this:

OLH (Brown is one player I'd rather we didn't rest this match though)
Monye
Lowe?
JTH
Williams
Botica
Dickson
Easter
Wallace
Fa'asalavu
Kohn
Robson
JJ
Buchanan
Lambert

With young guns on the bench too like Taylor/Burns

Could be beatable with those players rested especially if we don't get any injuries back. Good luck, I'll be there for my first match at the Stoop this season

Actually, do we lose Monye and JTH for the training camp?

they are training at the new FA facilities in Burton. Players unlikely to make the match day 23 (or in need of additional game time) may be released back to clubs. Would you want people late in the week though?

Once the AIs start Lancaster will release unwanted players on the Tuesday.

So Quins are likely to be missing - Marler, Robson (called up to cover for Lawes), Robshaw, Care, JTH, Monye and Brown.

Hmm, time to test our strength in depth then!

Assuming Chisholm and Nev are still out:

OLH
Stegmann
Lowe
Casson
Williams
Botica
Dickson
Easter
Wallace
Fa'asalavu
Kohn
Matthews
JJ
Buchanan
Lambert

Should play Glos. Looking fairly young that team

Any Leicester fans here visit the actual Kingsholm Inn ?
Had Rucking Mole on a great little beer !
Well played Tigers, really stretched Glaws pack / defence in last 20 minutes.
But before then Glaws' backs were superb, what a spectacle ! best show yet this season, maybe last season too..

CJ, you're victims of your own success, but I won't complain about you missing a few players

If the called up players are to miss this game, I'd expect Glaws to put out the following:
Wood
Edmonds
Knight (he must deserve to start now)
Buxton
James
Savage
Qera
Kalamafoni
Cowan
Burns
Sinbad
36
Tindall
Monahan
Cook

The Stoop has been a horror ground for us in recent years and whilst our last visit there at least saw us stop another hiding, we still lost. This game will be a real yard stick as to where we are as a team.

HongKongCherry wrote:CJ, you're victims of your own success, but I won't complain about you missing a few players

If the called up players are to miss this game, I'd expect Glaws to put out the following:
Wood
Edmonds
Knight (he must deserve to start now)
Buxton
James
Savage
Qera
Kalamafoni
Cowan
Burns
Sinbad
36
Tindall
Monahan
Cook

The Stoop has been a horror ground for us in recent years and whilst our last visit there at least saw us stop another hiding, we still lost. This game will be a real yard stick as to where we are as a team.

Spot on with the team. I might've even put Monahan in on Saturday the way he's been playing! Really happy with that side.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Hmm, time to test our strength in depth then!

Assuming Chisholm and Nev are still out:

OLH
Stegmann
Lowe
Casson
Williams
Botica
Dickson
Easter
Wallace
Fa'asalavu
Kohn
Matthews
JJ
Buchanan
Lambert

Should play Glos. Looking fairly young that team

No Hopper? Still a good XV, I just hope we avoid a battering this time.

And another thing......
Glos lineout jumpers. We had lost big Jim before the game, and our lineout disadvantage showed, although partly offset by Tom Youngs wayward throwing for Tigers, and Parling was serious oppo.
I am very happy with our season so far of course, but I have one area of doubt about our jumpers L/o ability. Even l/Welsh exposed us in this area.
Any ideas / comments on this ?

Lowe is 1st choice over Hopper, but I'd start either

gregortree wrote:And another thing......
Glos lineout jumpers. We had lost big Jim before the game, and our lineout disadvantage showed, although partly offset by Tom Youngs wayward throwing for Tigers, and Parling was serious oppo.
I am very happy with our season so far of course, but I have one area of doubt about our jumpers L/o ability. Even l/Welsh exposed us in this area.
Any ideas / comments on this ?

I do agree, although I feel our main problem in the lineout is the throwing. I've been pretty impressed by Edmonds considering it was meant to be one of his weaknesses, but I do feel that Britton's throwing is very poor. Parling really came to the fore when Britton came on. I don't want to be too critical as his work in the loose and scrum were excellent. He is definitely going to be a very good player, he just need to work on his throwing.

Without Big Jim we don't have a proper middle jumper whilst Brown is injured - who knows when he is due back? - apparently Stooke is being considered a front jumper, so long term we still don't have the back up there. Will James and Brown's contracts are due to expire this year and whilst they have both been excellent servants to the club and Will James is having a real indian summer in his career, i wouldn't be surprised to see them both go.

Thanks HKC
well here is tomorrow's line up for the Stoop:
Savage and James in the Engine Room.

Gloucester Rugby:
Martyn Thomas; Shane Monahan, Mike Tindall (capt), Billy Twelvetrees, James Simpson-Daniel; Freddie Burns, Jimmy Cowan; Dan Murphy, Huia Edmonds, Rupert Harden; Tom Savage, Will James; Matt Cox, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan
Replacements:
Tommaso d’Apice, Nick Wood, Dario Chistolini, Peter Buxton, Gareth Evans, Dan Robson, Tim Molenaar, Rob Cook

Glad the Glos talent is getting recognised:

"Burns replaces Jordan Turner-Hall, who will stay at Harlequins for treatment on an inflamed knee, while Twelvetrees comes in as temporary injury cover for Jonathan Joseph (ankle).
Thirty-six players reported to the team base of Pennyhill Park this evening and England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said:

"Freddie has been playing well in the Aviva Premiership and, with Jordan needing to stay at Harlequins for treatment, we are keen to have a look at him. Lancs: "JJ is continuing his recovery from an ankle injury and this is a good chance to get Billy in for training."

Just hope they don't get sent back crocked from playing with the big boys from SH.

Good to see they're both in and around the camp now. Hopefully they'll show up well in training and put themselves in the frame either this autumn or 6N's.

They are all kicked back out of England camp now, apart I think, from Sharples. Big Jim gone to Scotland, Qera selected for Fiji squad.

I've booked my ticket to see Fiji at Kingsholm next Tuesday.
Glaws are now an internationally recognised team - its official with the Fiji matchup !

I hope we put our best side out against Fiji. Show England what they're missing!

Maybe Burns can show on Tuesday what Flood wasn't doing Saturday. Although I want them bot to do well really.
I don't suppose Qera will play Tuesday ? That would surely be too much.

EnglishReign wrote:I hope we put our best side out against Fiji. Show England what they're missing!

Carl Hogg has said we're putting out a similar side against Ospreys as we did against MdM, which may mean we'll be near full strength for Fiji.

So I'm expecting something like the following for the Ospreys game:
Thomas, Britton, (Knight if fit), Stooke, James, Buxton, Cox, Evans; Robson, Taylor, Clark, Tindall, Molenaar, Monahan, Thomas.

Apparently Drew Locke is now fit, so he may feature on the subs bench.

gregortree wrote:Maybe Burns can show on Tuesday what Flood wasn't doing Saturday. Although I want them bot to do well really.
I don't suppose Qera will play Tuesday ? That would surely be too much.

You have to assume it will be a completely different side from the one that plays at Twickenham

LT, yes of course you are right, but we are allowed a little snipe at HQ from Kingsholm, esp now our boys got rejected... again.

Think of it as protection from the harmful effects of Farrell Sr

A large part of me is glad we have our boys back on club duty. In fact I think this allows Burns more space to further develop his growing confidence with the club before getting exposed to those rough lads from SH, which I'm sure will come in its due time.

PS: I am a Flood fan - in an England shirt. He puts runners into spaces to attack much better than Farrell can so far do.