So far so good for the Glaws rebuild

The Gloucester rebuild appears to be going quite well so far this season. It could, of course, be better, but how many feared that it might be a lot worse as a new-look squad and a new-look coaching regime bedded in at Kingsholm?

Coach Nigel Davies believes a lot of damage was done to the cherry and whites squad at the end of last season, and says that the players are having to rebuild through effort and grit out on the pitch.

He was as disappointed as the next man by last weekend’s draw at Worcester, but it’s difficult to argue with his theory that the team’s won’t play as badly again.

“There’s a lot, lot more to come from us,” he says. “We are finding our feet as a team with new patterns, new systems and new players.

“We still need to do a lot of work, but we’ll get better and we have to be happy with a win and a draw from two away games so far. Getting points away from home has not been easy for Gloucester recently.”

He is looking for an improvement in the team’s decision-making and more talk, especially from the more experienced members of what is, after all, a relatively young squad.

Some real experience will be arriving later this month when 30-year-old All Blacks scrum-half Jimmy Cowan flies in after completing his season with Southlands.

He admits he will have to fight for his place, but told the club website: “By no means am I going there to finish up. I'm going there to revitalize my career with a new challenge of rugby in the Premiership.”

Before that, though, Glaws have a weekend date with Wasps at Kingsholm, a middle-of-the table game that will give the winners a chance to do some significant climbing up the Premiership table.

Wasps thumped London Irish last weekend, but they lost at Bath on their last trip to the South West a week earlier.

It won’t be easy, but what a great game it would be for Glaws to win.