Press Conference notes 11.08.20

Director of Rugby Alan Solomons spoke to the media today ahead of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership match against Gloucester at Sixways (12.30pm).

Here’s what Alan had to say:

Are you excited about playing again?

I think everyone throughout the Premiership feels the same. It’s great to be playing again and everyone is looking forward to the weekend.

You have retained the majority of the squad will that continuity be an advantage?

  • Although we have very few new players we do have a completely new coaching team so there hasn’t been continuity there.
  • But they are all terrific coaches who have done tremendously in a short period of time.
  • The five of us – Jonny Goodridge has been doing the skills and kicking – are working really well together.

What do you expect from Gloucester?

  • They are similar to us in that they have a new coaching team in place although they have had some movement of players with Jonny May, who is a Gloucester man, coming back from Leicester.
  • They are always a team who like to put width on the ball with Danny Cipriani at ten. They are not lacking in physicality but they have pace to burn out wide but they do like to put width on the ball.

What will it be like playing in the heat?

It has been very hot in training this week but, looking at the local weather forecast on BBC Midlands Today, they are saying 21 degrees on Saturday so I hope Shefali is right.

It’s been a long break between matches how difficult will that be?

  • I’ve been involved in professional rugby since 1996 and I’ve never known a five month break between matches so it will be interesting to see how things develop.
  • But from when we start we will play seven matches in four weeks so each club will have to develop a strategy on how they are going to handle that and utilise their whole squad.

Injuries

  • Matt Moulds is recovering from foot surgery and he is not available at the moment.
  • Callum Black and Conor Carey are both recovering from ankle injuries but we hope that they will return during this block of matches.
  • Ed Fidow has a groin injury
  • Perry Humphreys is out with an ankle injury
  • Jamie Shillcock has a shoulder injury which we hope will only keep him out for a couple of weeks.

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