Redpath ready as countdown gathers pace

Bryan Redpath believes he is a better coach and his Gloucester players form a better squad than last season ... now all they have to do is prove him right. With days to go to the start of the new season and a game away to new boys Exeter, Redpath appears to be looking forward to it as much as the fans are.

The supporters proved their keenness by arriving in their thousands at Kingsholm for the club open day on Bank Holiday Monday.
The turn-out proved again that few clubs in the Premiership can hope to match Gloucester's unique place in the local community and the club's huge local popularity.
And Redpath is determined to give those fans the success they crave after two seasons of mediocrity.
In a lengthy question-and-answer session with the Citizen, Redpath says last season taught him a lot and adds that he believes it made the squad better, too.
"I learned a lot from last year," he said. "I am glad I went through last year. There were a lot of changes and a lot of new faces and that has helped me this year, and already I am comfortable with how that is.
"I am far more comfortable than I was last year. I have learned a lot.
"Having faith in our abilities is a big thing, trusting what we are and not looking back too much, and, obviously, dealing with the external parts of the head coach role and making sure that does not influence or change me when I am with the playing side of it.
"There is just me and Carl Hogg and we have to be very organised, but there is no confusion, there are not too many chiefs."
Looking at the playing side, Redpath added: "We can be a soft touch away from home and leak easy tries like we did last season. Suddenly you can be in a game and score 20 odd points but lose, and we have to change that mentality - by being smarter at the back.
"It is about shutting up and starting now and saying we need to be better as a group away from home because we are not good enough. Let's look at it like that."
Redpath is not going to be a strict disciplinarian, with a system of fines if players are late for training or transgress in other ways.
Instead, he says: "I am not interested in taking money off them. I will punish them by not putting them up for selection."
The three pre-season games were more encouraging than discouraging and Redpath says he knows his preferred team.
So we're all set for the big kick-off.
All we have to do is go to Exeter ... and win.