Charlie - capped

By Cherry Picker
August 10 2011

A week and a half to the first pre-season friendly and just over three weeks to the big kick-off itself, the build-up to the 2011-12 Premiership season seems to be taking an inordinately long time. Fans feel like the kid in the back seat of a car on a long journey ... "are we there yet?" 

But, just like the end of the road, we’ll get there eventually.

Won’t we?

Meanwhile, the training goes on as Gloucester’s players, new and old, get to know each other and the coaches try to work out how they will cope with the absence of the club’s international players for the first few weeks of the season.

The World Cup may be rugby’s greatest show on earth, but for club coaches all over the world it’s a major headache – and Glaws are no exception.

Charlie Sharples became the club’s latest capped player when he went on for England in their stuttering win over Wales at the weekend, and while Bryan Redpath was no doubt delighted for the winger, it meant a possible additional absentee for the Kingsholm coach.

While Sharples walks on air after receiving his first cap, Redpath will perhaps be forgiven if he looks at it from a different angle.

But, of course, he knew it might happen and there has already been a bonus for Glaws in that James Simpson-Daniel has been released from the England squad.

He’s now looking forward to his testimonial, the pre-season game against Russia on Friday night, August 26, at Kingsholm.

Before that Glaws are at home on Saturday August 20 against London Welsh, a game during which Redpath will no doubt make changes galore.

The same will probably apply against Russia, when Glaws perhaps need to beware of big men fighting for places in the World Cup, where they play Italy, Ireland, Australia and the USA.

The last thing we need is for players to be injured before the season has even started.

Glaws fans ask: Are we there yet?

Discussion started by Shedloads (IP Logged), 10/08/2011 11:26

Shedloads
10/08/2011 11:26

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Two Sheds
14/08/2011 18:20

Only a week to first friendly, but you can't beat the real thing.

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