Fly-half in line to return for European campaign
SCOTLAND international fly-half Adam Hastings could be back to provide Gloucester with a big boost heading into their daunting Heineken Champions Cup pool stage games.
The Cherry and Whites kick off their 2022/23 European campaign at home against Bordeaux Begles on December 10 before travelling to Irish heavyweights Leinster the following weekend.
Hastings is currently sidelined with a knee injury he sustained while on international duty with Scotland.
Discussing the fitness of his stand-off ahead of a trip to The Stoop to take on Harlequins this weekend, Gloucester head coach George Skivington said: “He is alright, it is not horrendous but he needs a little more time.
“He has been very good for us this season so far so I am not going to be rushing him out before he is absolutely ready.”
Discussing timelines over the 26-year-old’s return, Skivington said: “He has been out for a couple of weeks already and it will be at least a couple more weeks, but I wouldn’t say months.
“That is certainly not where we started but I am leaving the medical team at it for now.”
In the Scotsman’s absence, Skivington is not short of options.
George Barton has impressed in recent weeks in the Premiership Rugby Cup and off the bench in the Premiership against Newcastle, while Lloyd Evans and Billy Twelvetrees are tried and tested campaigners in the 10 jersey.
An unused wildcard still available to Skivington is Argentine Santiago Carreras, who has returned to Kingsholm this week along with lock Matis Alemanno having been the Pumas’ starting stand-off once again throughout the autumn.
Scotland centre Chris Harris, Wales winger Louis Rees-zammit, Italy scrum half Stephen Varney and England hooker Jack Singleton are also back from international duty but Fijian Albert Tuisue is banned following his red card for a high tackle on Ireland’s Joe Carbery.
Tuisue was handed a four-match ban which will be reduced to three if he completes World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme to improve his technique.
“Having sat out Fiji’s game against the French Barbarians, Tuisue will now miss Gloucester’s trip to Harlequins and the home tie against Northampton.
Jonny May remains away with England hosting the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday.
Discussing his returning internationals, Skivington said: “We took a couple of bangs and a ban as well so it is not perfect, but most of them are in pretty good shape.
“We are always conscious of looking after those guys because Test rugby is pretty intense for them but on the whole they are in pretty good nick.”
They are going to need to be, as Skivington points out: “Quins away is tough, they were the champs only two years ago. They are only really missing Marcus Smith so a fully loaded Quins team at the Stoop is going to be a challenge but we look forward to that.”