Time is key for Skivington to be successful here
GLOUCESTER backed up their victory over Leicester Tigers with a good performance and important win against London Irish.
Irish targeted this as a must win game and will be especially disappointed as it ended their hopes of a European Champions Cup spot.
Gloucester now looks as if they have qualified, moving to seventh in the league with a real possibility of a sixth position finish in their grasp.
Gloucester’s head coach George Skivington, with his inside knowledge of the Irish game plan must have been very influential in this victory.
In parts Gloucester did stutter to get going without their talisman Danny Cipriani pulling the strings at fly half, but the emerging Lloyd Evans settled into the game bagging a try for himself.
Evans is enjoying greater exposure in this mini season which could establish him as the number two fly half.
Billy Twelvetrees also played a significant part when he came on later in the game as it was breaking up.
The Welsh-born Italian junior international scrum half Stephen Varney picked up the man of the match award with an assured display.
It was not perfect with box kicks from the base being changed down, but he never shirked his responsibilities.
He looks to have a wise head on young shoulders and in this period when all players will have opportunities presented to them, he has certainly taken his which will be welcomed by the Gloucester coaching team. Gloucester does have the wonderful ability to open up sides to score from first phase balls which was illustrated by the Louis Rees-zammit try, it was a world class finish and one that now must make him one of the deadliest finishers in the game. Also pleasing for the coaching staff was a significant contribution from the bench, something which is very important in the modern game, and not always achieved from the Cherry and Whites. Prop Jack Stanley came on and took
his try well.
Another finisher for Gloucester was back rower Jordy Reid.
The Australian looks a menace at the break down, and powerful with ball in hand, and in the tackle.
He replaced another young back row player in Jack Clement - the ex-bournside School and Cheltenham College man does not look out of place in a Gloucester shirt.
With Gloucester virtually assured a European Champions Cup place it will be intriguing what position Skivington will take on his approach to selection from now on.
I would like to see a balance of young players and established players. Young players will flourish with the seasoned Premiership men around them.
To send out a complete A side will not help anyone and will be hard to judge if they can cut it in the Premiership.
How the season ends and the new one starting four weeks later could make a developing player‘s career or not.
Mixed with the young guns, the established players who have not featured in the strongest side must also put their hand up.
Gloucester do look a bit short of depth across the front row and I would like to see an established proven prop added to the squad ahead of the new season.
From here on in, the squad must show unity and a desire to win every game.
Gloucester has a squad that have hard working, talented, mercurial players, and on their day are the best team to watch in the Premiership.
Added to this they must have a pack of forwards that have edge, and all understand how to win a game against the best.
Skivington must get this balance right, he will be confronted by challenges off the field notably having the finances to fund his new team.
Any new coach will want to stamp his identity on the squad with new players, if allowed to do this he will be a successful.
Coupled with finances, he will also need time - unfortunately, modern sport does not afford managers and coaches time.
In this ever-changing world we live in, situations occur that we never saw coming.
Being at the wrong end of the table in the new season ahead will not be something anyone at Kingsholm will want to see.
The last weeks of this season will go a long way in shaping the future on the new season, and it should not be wasted.
Brave, bold, positive, astute decisions need to be made, with the new coaching group being given the tools to succeed by the board.