Humphreys focused on set-piece failings
GLOUCESTER rugby director David Humphreys is banking on the arrival of hard-nosed South African head coach Johan Ackerman to transform English rugby’s “nearly team” into winners.
A Rugby Paper survey reveals that despite a healthy balance sheet and wage bill that stands comparison with top four sides like Exeter and Saracens, Gloucester are the poorest performing Premiership team of the nine to have competed continuously in the top-flight over the last five seasons.
Gloucester have won 46 of 110 regular season matches since 2012 for a winning record of just 41.8 per cent – a situation compounded by last week’s Challenge Cup final capitulation to Stade Francais in Edinburgh, where an under-powered Cherry & Whites pack came a distant second best.
Ulsterman Humphreys, who took charge three years ago, concedes results are unacceptable but expects Ackerman’s arrival from Super Rugby outfit the Lions, allied to the recruitment of forward muscle in Val Rapava Ruskin, Fraser Balmain, Gareth Denman and Carl Fearns, to herald an upturn.
Humphreys, right, said: “No excuses, we weren’t good enough over the course of the season and there’s a reason why there are a lot of front five players coming in. You need a good set-piece in the Premiership and we haven’t delivered.
“Do you question yourself? Of course you do. We haven’t made the progress we’d hoped for over the last three years and have been bumping around eighth or ninth, but we’re addressing the issues and it’s exciting to have Johan coming in with the success he’s had at the Lions over the last three years.
“There are enormous parallels between the situation he inherited there and where Gloucester are now. The Lions were near the bottom of Super Rugby but he’s developed a very clear style of play and generated a really good team spirit.”
Humphreys believes Ackerman has an excellent base to work from, adding: “Although our league position doesn’t reflect it, we’ve made progress with our infrastructure and academy that will pay dividends.
“We were the fourth highest try-scorers in the Premiership this season and gained eight losing bonus points so it’s not a case of starting again, it’s about turning a ‘nearly team’ into one that wins those close
games.”