Fronting up Pack were superb to dominate Lyon
GLOUCESTER’S attention turned to the European Challenge Cup with a trip to Lyon, who they played last season and got thumped.
Lyon sit fourth in the French top 14. Gloucester has a good history in the Challenge Cup reaching four finals and winning two and Gloucester travelled to France with 15 changes to the side that had defeated Bristol at Kingsholm.
They fielded a very young, inexperienced pack of forwards, facing a Lyon pack that contained six internationals but Gloucester should and could have won the game, with the forwards playing particularly well.
If you are going to do well in France you have to match them in the scrum, as French sides get a lot of energy from that and Gloucester dominated them.
The front row of Jamal Ford-robinson, Santiago Socino, and Fraser Balmain played exceptionally well - I think that was the best display I have seen Ford-robinson produce in a Gloucester shirt.
The game was there for the taking and Gloucester will have been bitterly disappointed to have only picked up a losing bonus point. With the Challenge Cup being a great opportunity for Gloucester to pick up silverware you could question the selection of a side that has not really played together before, and was incredibly inexperienced.
But George Skivington has so much belief in his squad which enables him to pick the side he did and the depth and potential in the squad is palpable.
What creates a problem for Skivington, and a good one, is so many players putting their hand up for selection.
The harsh reality is Gloucester lost and the development and potential of the players giving them the experience in such surroundings of French rugby, can be brutal, but is key.
How long will Skivington have to turn this fabulous group of potential players into winners?
Look at Leicester last season - they languished at the wrong end of the Premiership, now they are racing away as league leaders. Their journey to once again dominating the English game is a different one from the Cherry & Whites as the East Midlanders can afford to invest in experienced internationals, whilst Gloucester’s model is youth, which is more sustainable.
The watch word for the Kingsholm faithful is patience, once again.