Hooker crisis Gloucester wait on front-rowers’ availability
ALL of Gloucester Rugby’s eggs are well and truly in the Challenge Cup basket following Saturday’s 33-24 defeat to Bristol, but they could find themselves scrambled by a lack of fit and available hookers.
Loanees Adam Mcburney and Will Crane both featured in the Rifles Cup, but aren’t registered with the Cherry and Whites for European rugby.
With the official deadline passed to add new players to the squad for the knockout rounds, a registration scare looms as hookers George Mcguigan, Seb Blake, Jack Singleton and Santiago Socino are all sidelined with injury.
Speaking on Saturday, Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington described the hooker situation as “not ideal, but those lads today did well I thought.
“We’re taking it week-by-week and you’ll know when selection comes next week because it’s a bit touch-and-go.”
He continued: “There must be a dispensation for front-rowers because you can’t field a side without them safely.
“We’re working through the process of registering the loanees for the Challenge Cup. It’s like the Prem Cup, there’s got to be some allowances there.”
However, Skivington spoke highly of the loanee duo with Mcburney coming in from United Rugby Championship side Edinburgh two weeks ago and Crane joining from Championship neighbours Hartpury.
He said: “Considering the little training time they’ve had, I thought they were great. It’s tough to come into Premiership games. So, from their point of view, I was very pleased with what they offered.
“But, from our point of view, obviously we’d like to have our hookers fit and available. With all due respect though to the lads who’ve come in though. We’ve just got to roll with the punches.”
Following another disappointing result in the Premiership, Skivington implied that Gloucester will be going full force in their Challenge Cup clash on Friday night.
He said: “Europe is massive for us. We know where we are in the Prem. We will continue to go hard every week. We’ll address this loss, and we’ll move on quickly.”
However, the Cherry and Whites will be without the services of their Argentina international lock Matias Alemanno, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury and there were concerns over the fitness of Scottish international lock Chris Harris, who left Kingsholm on a crutch after the defeat to Bristol.
Skivington said: “Matty, he’s out for the season and is in a knee brace.
“He hurt himself in a training incident, literally the training session before the Prem Cup final.
“He got it scanned and yeah, he’s out for the season, so that’s disappointing.
Skivington also confirmed that talismanic number eight Zach Mercer was removed from action early last week as a precaution after he took a knock during the game with Bristol, although he looks likely to feature in what is shaping up as Gloucester’s biggest game of the season.
Skivington said: “Zach took a bang so I talked to him at half time and then, from our point of view, he’s very important for us for next week.
“So I mulled it over and then thought, you know, I’m not going to push one of our star players. So he’s fine.”