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GLOUCESTER RUGBY: No International Duty – Will it Benefit the Club?

With Gloucester Rugby’s sights set firmly on a play off position this season, no players on international duty this weekend could be welcomed, as the club continue to prepare for the run-in.

The Cherry and Whites currently sit in 6th, just four points off the top four.

Media Manager Duncan Wood admits that it could be valuable for key players of the squad to have additional rehabilitation time at this crucial time in the season.

“It’s a good and a bad thing in a way. As a club we want our players to be performing at the highest possible level and we do believe that we have players of international calibre within the squad.

“As you say there are times when we are playing in the Aviva Premiership or an Anglo-Welsh game and actually not losing players to any of the international set-ups can help us as it gives us more players of a high calibre available for selection.

“At this stage of the season, where we’ve played seventeen rounds of the Premiership, we’ve played a lot of Anglo-Welsh and we’ve played a lot of knockouts and European games, it’s a chance for the players to have a few days off, to avoid a full contact game for at least one weekend and it’s not such a bad thing in terms of their physical health.”

Despite this, preparations continue as the club look towards the play-offs. Gloucester have fixtures against two teams in the top four, including league leaders Exeter.

“The players are reporting back for duty next week so they’ve all benefitted from a week off but they will be back in next week, even though we don’t have a game next weekend. So, slowly but surely, they will be building themselves back up into full match condition,” said Wood.

“There’s an awful lot still to play for, obviously we have Premiership games away to London Irish, Exeter and Saracens, and they will all be testing. London Irish are still scrapping for their lives and Exeter and Saracens are still pushing for play-off places.

“And we do have those home games against Bath and Harlequins they’ll be very important. We will be looking to get as many points as possible to keep our own top four hopes alive.

“There’s the European Rugby Challenge Cup game against Connaught. Should we get a result over there, which is going to be tough because Connaught are a very good side, there’ll be the opportunity of a home semi-final and that will be something that will be very exciting.”

 

Hartpury have also been boosted by the return of youth international duo Harry Randall and Alex Craig – Wood admits that it is a boost to have the pair back in contention for Saturday’s Championship game against London Scottish

“They are two very promising players – Harry is an England U20 international and Alex has played U20 Rugby for Scotland – and at the start of the season they were playing some very good stuff as Hartpury got to grips with life in the Championship.

“Obviously both were side-lined by injuries, worked very hard on their rehab and it’s good to see that they’re both back before the end of the season and will get some minutes under their belt before the season comes to a close.”

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