Play-off run is over admits Skivington
GEORGE Skivington says he has stopped talking about the play-offs after Gloucester’s defeat at Newcastle in the last Premiership round left them needing a sporting miracle to make the top four.
The result at Kingston Park summed up Gloucester’s campaign, a tale of missed opportunities, and they failed to exploit the early sending off of prop Richard Palframan for a high tackle.
“Had we won we would have been in a good spot,” said head coach Skivington. “We created a lot and finished nothing and gave them a couple of easy moments. The urgency was not there. The night was not a good reflection of us as a group but the players were extremely honest. I had a number of text messages from them and it is important when things go badly that you own it.
“My phone was busy on the weekend and players front-footed it. This is an honest environment and there is no hiding.
“The play-offs are over for us but there are still things for us to play for in the final three rounds and we want to qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup.”
Gloucester made a strong start to the season, winning five of their first six league matches with the defeat coming narrowly, and late on, at Saracens, but they hit a bump during the autumn internationals when they lost a number of players and were also blighted by long-term injuries.
“The power of a coach is selection and when you do not have a full squad there is an element of people knowing that they are going to get picked,” said Skivington. “I have no issues with how hard the players have worked and that was not an issue at Newcastle. It just helps as a coach when you have jeopardy. Last year we were the best at rotating: every Monday I used to have 10 horrible conversations, something I will never moan about again.
“Virtually every injury we have suffered this season has involved a scan and a season-ending operation. We have hardly had any low muscle tears.”
Skivington said the loss at Newcastle, who achieved the double over Gloucester, was compounded the following day when results went their way with Harlequins and Bristol both losing.
“I was angry on the Friday night and then saw what could have been,” he said. “It would have been the first weekend other results had gone our way but the privilege of being involved in professional sport is the highs and the lows. Whatever happens, you have to suck it up.
“It would be great to have excuses about what happened at Newcastle, but I don’t. The previous week we were involved in a close game with Leicester and then Ben Youngs and Handre Pollard put the squeeze on us and we made mistakes.”