Delve - call to arms

By Cherry Picker
November 12 2009

The optimists among Gloucester supporters believe that the team HAS to start playing well some time, and this weekend is as good a time as any in the LV Cup game away to London Wasps. The kick-off on Sunday is three hours after midday, but it’s certainly a high noon scenario for Glaws as they go into the latest fixture they just MUST win. The longer their current four-game losing streak continues, of course, the more difficult it will be for Glaws to end it, and the fact that the heaviest defeat in those four was by 35-6 at home to Sunday’s opponents hardly fills us with confidence that the team can turn the corner.
But surely Glaws are better than this, and while the LV Cup may not be their top priority this season, a win is a win and a positive result in this game would do no harm as they face up to a rescue mission in the Guinness Premiership.
Now is the time for the team’s experienced players to stand up and be counted, and while it is to be hoped that coach Bryan Redpath has already told them this, captain Gareth Delve has added his weight to the theory.
The contrasting fortunes of young and old in the Glaws squad is illustrated with Andy Hazell (right) ruled out until the New Year by injury and prop Paul Dorran-Jones on the bench for England a lot earlier in his career than even he might have expected.
Redpath says he can’t explain why Glaws are making the same mistakes time after time and Delve told the Citizen: "The young guys played very well and it's very promising for us. But we've got a responsibility across the board whether you've got no caps or a ton of caps.
"We've got to take a lot of the flak because at the moment we aren't living up to the sum of our parts … as players.
"At times the young guys who are coming in, like Tim Molenaar and Paul Doran-Jones, are the ones leading from the front. Some of us more senior players need to step up our game a bit.
“The supporters have been fantastic sticking with us, but the expectations aren't what they were of us.
"We need to make sure we're doing the right things a lot more. At the moment when we get something right we seem to be making mistakes and falling back into bad patterns.
"I take a lot of responsibility as captain because I need to be making sure we're playing the right areas.
"We need to win so we can push on and then look to performances. We're getting closer and closer. It's that win that would make a world of difference."
Well said GD, and it’s to be hoped he gets a response from the other senior players. If the response isn’t there, then changes need to be made because that would create a danger of a split in the squad and those who are not pulling their weight come under the internal spotlight. 

Time for a win, says Delve as Glaws battle to end bad run

Discussion started by Shedloads (IP Logged), 12/11/2009 11:14

Shedloads
12/11/2009 11:14

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cheerycherry
15/11/2009 06:34

You can accept mistakes from the young uns because everyone has to learn somewhere etc etc but when it is experienced players constantly knocking on it gets very frustrating. The best thing Glaws can do is to keep to a simple gameplan, get that working properly then add on the whistles and bells. They have the makings of a very decent pack of forwards, get them playing on the front foot, keep a few of the plodders out the 3/4s and concentrate on getting quick, clean ball for the backs to run. Rugby only becomes a complicated game if you get too fancy and at the moment Glaws need substance not style.

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Pilgrim
15/11/2009 09:24

The skills that the team are lacking should have become second nature before any of them played for their school ! When they manage to tackle, (without injuring themselves), pass to a team-mate accurately, catch the ball, kick away from defenders and chase the thing, run past the opposition instead of into them and take their share of the 50/50 ball on the ground they won't need a coach and they can go back to a very old game-plan..............''I'll take the kick-off....,you lot just spread out a bit.'' The GP wouldn't know what hit them !

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Two Sheds
15/11/2009 18:32

Easy as that, eh?

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cheerycherry
17/11/2009 05:37

You seriously have to wonder but that is where Glaws are currently. The confidence is so low that once Wasps got momentum behind them then heads were lost and Glaws seemingly panicked under pressure (unusually...).

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