Things can be learnt from the Gloucester match

Defensive qualities
By Duncan Wood
September 23 2002

Defeat was a disappointment but Bristol matched up pretty well against Gloucester in most areas. The men from Kingsholm have a pretty good formula at present. There's no harm in trying to imitate it - it's the sincerest form of flattery!

There were plenty of positives to take out of the Gloucester performance on Saturday but I also believe that Gloucester provided a pretty good blueprint for success.

Their approach is fundamentally very simple but they execute it very well. I've divided it into several sections so that we can see how we measure up.

Forward play

As usual, Gloucester boast a formidable pack. However, I firmly believe that we more than matched them up front. I think that the lineouts and scrums were pretty competitive and that, in Mike Lipman, we had the better openside on the day.

Gloucester did, admittedly, score a pretty good try from a rolling maul but that was the one occasion when they got the better of us. And there were several example of pretty good Bristol mauling.

I think that we'reok up front.

Midfield defence

This was one area where Gloucester were superior. It didn't matter who ran at them, backs or forwards, Robert Todd and Terry Fanolua wrapped them up or knocked them backwards.

I think it was the Sunday Telegraph yesterday who described them as "teak hard as forwards". That's not far wrong, they tackle like men possessed.

We looked pretty solid when Daryl Gibson was on but after he had left we just did not have the same pysical presence in the midfield. Tackles were made but they tended to be hanging on round the ankes after the gain line had been crossed. The Gloucester attackers were able to pass out of the tackle and maintain the momentum.

Jason Little was rock solid in defence last season and I think that Gibson will be an admirable replacement. Maybe Andrew Higgins strength and defensive qualities are called for?

The kicking game

When all else fails, Gloucester can drop Mercier back into the pocket and he can drill the ball 50 or 60 metres. How many times on Saturday did he kick the ball from one 22 to the other? This is the one area where he is better than Felipe.

Even Henry Paul found some good touchfinders in the second half and it all resulted in the Bristol forwards having to trudge back time after time and the Shoguns team had to build their attacks from deep.

Too often we kicked the ball away aimlessly and simply handed possession back to Gloucester to run back at us.

If we're going to kick, we have to do it cleverly.

Gloucester do it very well and I firmly believe that we can do it as well. We're not a million miles away but we have to keep on learning.