Take the positives Players will learn from Euro games
GLOUCESTER travelled to Castres to play their last European Champions Cup game, although both sides were unable to progress in the competition. Gloucester fielded a side that had an eye on the future, with many young players having come through the GR Academy system. Often these games can be dour affairs with no tangible gain coming from the fixture, but this was not the case at all. Gloucester produced a performance that was gutsy and full of skill. They went toe to toe with the French champions in their own back yard, with a front row made up of English qualified Academy players. Front row trio Alex Seville, Henry Walker and Ciaran Knight worked their socks off in the scrum and defended very well.
Seville stood out in defence making some great chop tackles showing his bravery and commitment. Gloucester in recent times has been guilty of having a high penalty count, however this game saw the Cherry and Whites keep their discipline thwarting the Frenchmen time and again. After being in front for nearly all the game and then to lose it in the 86th minute was a devasting blow. With youth you do get unpredictability, and this was the case with Tom Seabrook not kicking the ball dead when the clock was in the red.
I do not think that Johan Ackermann for one minute will give him the hair dryer treatment postgame.
This game would have been a new experience for some of the young players, and one they will have to learn from. When playing in France things are different to playing in this country; the crowds can be more hostile, the style of play is different from the Premiership, there is a gamesmanship from some players that needs to be dealt with.
The Castres players were appealing for everything, diving around to gain penalties, this was handled well by Nigel Owens MBE, who of course has seen it all before.
With Gloucester losing the game in the final play which was killer blow for all the effort they had put in, Castres captain back rower Yannick Caballero took the conversion.
He is not the normal kicker, and made a complete hash of it - I thought it was crass and not very professional at all.
What do we make of Gloucester’s European campaign?
After not qualifying for the Champions Cup for several seasons Gloucester returned to the top table, pitched into a very competitive group that includes European giants Munster, along with highflying Exeter, and the French champion Castres - so on paper Gloucester had it all to do.
The first game at home saw the Cherry and Whites beat Castres and they then travelled to Munster, where they were well in the game until Danny Cipriani’s red card changed the course of the contest.
Gloucester did bounce back with a great away win at Exeter, meaning their fate with still in their own hands.
The return match at Kingsholm resulted in a home loss, which was a massive body blow - but with another home game up next all was still not lost.
Munster know how to win in Europe and Gloucester were dismantled by a very strong committed Irish side, meaning their campaign for this year was over.
Overall, I think Ackermann will be happy with the way Gloucester applied themselves back in the top tier of Europe.
As opposed to a lot of people in this country wanting to leave Europe currently, Gloucester must once again qualify for Europe this season to ensure the experience they had this season is not lost and use such experience to improve and qualify for the knock out stages next time out.
With Exeter and then Saracens up next at Kingsholm in the Premiership two #Fridaynightlights wins will go a long way to securing again the path way to European rugby.