By Cherry Picker
January 30 2013

Is there such a thing for Gloucester fans as a meaningless game against Bath? The answer is surely "no", but when the old rivals clash in the LV= Cup at Kingsholm on Saturday , it will mean more to the visitors than the cherry and whites.

Glaws can’t qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition and will no doubt use the game as preparation for a vital four-game Premiership run against Northampton, Wasps, Worcester and Bath which is just around the corner.

But for Bath, Saturday’s game does have a meaning – they can qualify for the next stage of the Anglo-Welsh competition, and even if it’s only because of that, Glaws owe it to themselves to take the game seriously.

But there are other reasons, of course: the game is important for many Glaws fringe players keen to stake a claim on a regular senior outing, while of course Andy Hazell wants to continue his comeback after suspension and others are desperate to regain full fitness after injury.

One of those is Ryan Mills, who marked his return last weekend by scoring the only Glaws points in their LV= defeat at Northampton.

He told the Citizen: "It's never a friendly, a game at home against Bath in a Gloucester shirt – no one will ever take that lightly. It's a grudge match when you play against Bath, no matter what.

"No matter the circumstances, the competition or what's on the line, I don't think anyone picked for that game will be taking it lightly at all.

“We've got a massive run of league games ahead of us, and the best way to return to all of that would be to get another win against our local rivals – we are fully prepared for a full-blooded derby game, and looking forward to it."

Plenty at stake for Glaws in Bath game

Discussion started by Shedloads (IP Logged), 30/01/2013 14:01

Shedloads
30/01/2013 14:01

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