Gloucester show their true mettle

AN INSPIRATIONAL midweek team talk from Johan Ackermann proved the catalyst for Gloucester’s stunning victory over Saints.

There was always going to be a reaction to last Friday’s 57-point drubbing at the hands of Sale and Gloucester responded by running in five tries.

Their coach took inspiration from his playing days. Ackermann said: ‘[When I was playing for the Cats] against the Brumbies in a Super Rugby game in 2001, we got hammered 64-0.

‘You start doubting yourself. It was one of those games where the harder you try the less things work.

‘I think as human beings, we go through trials and tribulations, it’s how you respond to that.’

Respond they did. A man-of-the-match display from Henry Trinder (above) laid the platform for this muchneeded victory.

The centre claimed two first-half tries with another surging run setting up Billy Twelvetrees. Further tries from Jason Woodward and Willi Heinz in the second-half sealed the win.

Trinder has been on the books at Gloucester since 2008 but has been hampered by injury over the past three seasons.

‘I hadn’t seen a lot of him,’ said Ackermann.

‘I just heard from the coaches that he was brilliant as a junior. ‘He showed some great skill today and hopefully he will just grow in confidence and use this as a stepping stone.’ Tries from Jamie Gibson, Harry Mallinder and replacement hooker Mike Haywood kept Northampton in the hunt, but they have relinquished top spot to Exeter.

‘It was very frustrating,’ said director of rugby Jim Mallinder.

‘It was an arm wrestle, particularly in the firsthalf. We never really go to grips although we did see some decent play at times.

‘We came back and nearly gave ourselves a chance but it was a little bit too late.’