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Recap: Gloucester vs Exeter Chiefs LIVE | Gallagher Premiership

RugbyPass Live Match Centre

Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Gallagher Premiership match between Gloucester and Exeter Chiefs at Kingsholm. 

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Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).

Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann has admitted it has been a frustrating wait to take on the Premiership leaders.

The Cherry and Whites were well beaten by local rivals Bristol three weeks ago in their last outing, and Ackermann said Friday’s Kingsholm clash couldn’t come around quick enough.

“It’s been a hard time for us as coaches, and for the players as well,” said Ackermann, who has outside-half Danny Cipriani available after injury.

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“Normally you get the chance to fix what went wrong quite quickly. But we’ve not had that opportunity and have had to live with that performance and result.

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“But we’ve had some time for reflection and have tweaked a few things over the past week, and hopefully we can change things.”

Fourth-placed Gloucester also recall Matt Banahan, Billy Twelvetrees and Gerbrandt Grobler, with Ed Slater returning to the matchday squad after injury.

Gloucester trail Exeter by seven points and Ackermann said: “There are certain games which are quite special, and Friday night games are special for the supporters and the players.

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“They’ve built a culture of believing and winning and developed a strength in depth in their squad which means that, whoever they lose to internationals or injury, they’re going to have a competitive team. They find a way to perform and we have to match that.”

Exeter, who are aiming to bounce back from a shock home defeat to Sale three weeks ago, have Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg and Australia scrum-half Nic White available.

“We are expecting a full-on game,” said Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter. “The good thing about being in and around the top of the Premiership is you know what to expect – and that’s a full-on challenge every time you play.

“Because you are top, people want to knock you off. Like ourselves, Gloucester have ambitions of being in the top four and wanting to win the Premiership.

“For them, we are one of the teams they are competing against, so there is every reason to say this is going to be a very tough game.”

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cw 7 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Thanks JW for clarifying your point and totally agree. The ABs are still trying to find their mojo” - that spark of power that binds and defines them. Man the Boks certainly found theirs in Wellington! But I think it cannot be far off for ABs - my comment about two coaches was a bit glib. The key point for me is that they need first a coach or coaches that can unlock that power and for me that starts at getting the set piece right and especially the scrum and second a coach that can simplify the game plans. I am fortified in this view by NBs comment that most of the ABs tries come from the scrum or lineout - this is the structured power game we have been seeing all year. But it cannot work while the scrum is backpeddling. That has to be fixed ASAP if Robertson is going to stick to this formula. I also think it is too late in the cycle to reverse course and revert to a game based on speed and continuity. The second is just as important - keep it simple! Complex movements that require 196 cm 144 kg props to run around like 95kg flankers is never going to work over a sustained period. The 2024 Blues showed what a powerful yet simple formula can do. The 2025 Blues, with Beauden at 10 tried to be more expansive / complicated - and struggled for most of the season.

I also think that the split bench needs to reflect the game they “want” to play not follow some rote formula. For example the ABs impact bench has the biggest front row in the World with two props 195cm / 140 kg plus. But that bulk cannot succeed without the right power based second row (7, 4, 5, 6). That bulk becomes a disadvantage if they don’t have a rock solid base behind them - as both Boks showed at Eden Park and the English in London. Fresh powerful legs need to come on with them - thats why we need a 6-2 bench. And teams with this split can have players focused only on 40 minutes max of super high intensity play. Hence Robertson needs to design his team to accord with these basic physics.



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