Picking up points regularly vital for Gloucester says George Skivington ahead of Bristol Bears
George Skivington has warned his Gloucester Rugby squad not to let the season get away from them after defeat in the opening round of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership.
The Cherry and Whites were beaten 26-35 at home by Saracens on Saturday, earning an attacking bonus point with a late flurry of attacking rugby to sit eighth in the table after the first of 18 rounds of action.
Having seen the league get away from them last season, Gloucester director of rugby Skivington has drilled into his side this weekend how important it is to keep picking up points and stay in the fight towards the top of the table, with back-to-back away games coming up against Bristol Bears and Sale Sharks before facing Bath at Kingsholm in Round Four in a momentous edition of the West Country derby.
Skivington said: “You have to take points pretty much every game. If any team knows how the Prem can get away from you, we experienced that last season and because of the short amount of games, once it does get away from you, it's very difficult to claw it back.
“We're well aware there's a block of six games here, we have to come out of this block of six with a certain amount of points to be competitive this season. I think we also have to not go within ourselves and be pragmatic because things didn't come off fully against Saracens. “We've worked really, really hard for three months on a way we want to play; I believe if we get that firing, we will be good and we will be competitive.
“We've just got to have the guts to stick with it and push it hard. It's an exciting challenge for us.”
While Skivington has blocked the season up, his focus remains thoroughly tracked on the challenge high risk, attack from anywhere Bristol pose. The Bears beat Newcastle Falcons 24-3 at Kingston Park with a bonus point on Friday night to go second in the table, dispite misfiring in attack at times.
Having done his homework on Friday’s opponents, Skivington said: “It was a competitive game. I think Bristol created a lot. I think they might have similar feelings to how we felt, they obviously won their game, but in terms of their attack I thought they created a lot and then just didn't quite get over the line a few times But they probably left a good few tries out there but they stuck to their plan and scored some good tries later on in the game and obviously closed it out.
“Bristol have been playing that way for a long time under Pat [Lam]. They're well-versed on riding the wave and not scared of making mistakes. There's a lot we can take from the way they play that pushes forwards how we want to look.”
Gloucester lost home and away to Bristol last season, going down 33-24 at Kingsholm back in March having been thrashed 51-26 at Ashton Gate in December.