Shane Monahan wings in to Gloucester Rugby

Posted on May 4, 2012 in Gloucester, Premiership

Gloucester Rugby have boosted their three quarter resources for next season with the signing of Irish winger Shane Monahan from Championship side Rotherham.

The 25 year old has been a stand out performer for the Titans this season, scoring eleven tries as they finished seventh in the table.

Also capable of appearing at outside centre, he started out at Boyne RFC and was a member of the Ireland squad that won the U20s Six Nations Grand Slam in 2007 alongside the likes of Leinster’s Cian Healy and Munster’s Keith Earls.

At 6ft 2 and weighting in at over 16 stone, his physicality and eye for the try line will make him a valuable addition to Gloucester’s back line options next season.

Now preparing himself for a crack at the Aviva Premiership with Gloucester, Monahan admits that he’s looking forward to the summer move to Kingsholm.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to pit myself against the very best in the English club game.

“Gloucester already have some really talented backs in the squad and it’s going to be great for my game to work with them. They’ve also signed some class players for next season so it’s a really exciting prospect.

“I’m genuinely excited about joining such an historic club. Kingsholm is one of the most famous club grounds in the world and the support is second to none. I can’t wait to get down there, meet my new team mates and start preseason.”

Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Season Shortlist Announced

Posted on Apr 24, 2012 in emb, English Rugby, Premiership, Premiership Rugby

FIVE AVIVA Premiership Rugby clubs are represented in the shortlist for the Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Season, it was announced today.

Current Aviva Premiership Rugby leaders Harlequins lead the way in the shortlist with two players, full-back Mike Brown and captain Chris Robshaw, while Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Gloucester Rugby and Exeter Chiefs are also rewarded with players vying for one of rugby’s top honours.

Leicester Tigers’ flanker Julian Salvi is the only non-England qualified player on the list, joined by Saracens’ centre Brad Barritt, Gloucester Rugby prop Nick Wood and Exeter Chiefs’ flanker James Scaysbrook.

The shortlist was compiled by a panel of media professionals – Miles Harrison (Sky Sports), Alastair Eykyn (BBC 5 Live), Mick Cleary (Daily Telegraph), Ian Stafford (Mail on Sunday), Nick Mullins (ESPN), David Rogers (Getty Images), and Alan Pearey (Rugby World). They were joined by Corin Palmer (Premiership Rugby’s Head of Academies and Development) and Paul Morgan (Premiership Rugby’s Communication Director) who chaired the panel.

“The panel has come up with an incredibly impressive shortlist, which reflects the strength of Aviva Premiership Rugby,” said Premiership Rugby Chief Executive Mark McCafferty.

“It’s great to see players who have emerged from our Academies in what is undoubtedly a world-class list of players. It will be a tough job picking the winner as clearly all six would be a worthy Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Season.”

The winner will be announced on Tuesday 8 May at the sold out Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards at The Hilton, Park Lane. The Awards night will be shown on ESPN.

Gloucester Rugby name side for visit of Sale Sharks

Posted on Apr 20, 2012 in English Rugby, Gloucester, Premiership

Gloucester Rugby welcome Sale Sharks to Kingsholm on Saturday afternoon (kick off 3pm) for their final home Aviva Premiership fixture of the season and have named their strongest possible line up.

Sixth play seventh as far as the Aviva Premiership table is concerned and, with Premiership Rugby confirming on Friday morning that the top six will qualify for next season’s Heineken Cup, the stakes are high.

Forwards Coach Carl Hogg, taking charge of the team this weekend, has kept changes to a minimum from the side that started last week against Newcastle.

Tim Molenaar comes in for Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu in the midfield and Dave Lewis is back at scrum half in place of Nick Runciman.

The majority of the pack is retained but skipper Luke Narraway is sidelined with a tight hamstring and replaced by Scotland international Alasdair Strokosch.

Hogg, of course, is well aware of the importance of the game and insists that his team are aware of what’s expected of them:

"There’s a Heineken Cup place up for grabs and we’ve got to look forward as a group and recognize that this is our last opportunity together at home at Kingsholm to make a statement.

"We’ve underperformed over the last few weeks, there’s no question about that. But we have an opportunity on Saturday to salvage some pride and some dignity on Saturday and that’s key for us.

"We respect Sale. They’re a quality team with quality players. But Saturday is about this group of players and how we want to be remembered.

"We’ve let our supporters down over the past two or three weeks and we’re looking to put that right."

Gloucester Rugby:

Jonny May; Charlie Sharples, Mike Tindall, Tim Molenaar, James Simpson-Daniel; Freddie Burns, Dave Lewis; Dan Murphy, Scott Lawson, Rupert Harden; Jim Hamilton, Alex Brown; Peter Buxton (capt), Akapusi Qera, Alasdair Strokosch

Replacements:

Darren Dawidiuk, Yann Thomas, Shaun Knight, Will James, Matt Cox, Dan Robson, Ryan Mills, Tom Voyce

Bryan Redpath resigns as Gloucester Rugby Head Coach

Posted on Apr 16, 2012 in English Rugby, Gloucester, Premiership

Gloucester Rugby have confirmed that Head Coach Bryan Redpath has offered his resignation which has been accepted by the club’s board.

Redpath will leave Kingsholm with immediate effect after a recent poor run of results which have seen the club slip to seventh place in the table.

Forwards Coach Carl Hogg will take charge of preparations for the home fixture with Sale Sharks on Saturday.

The 40 year old Scot took over as Head Coach of Gloucester Rugby ahead of the 2009-10 season, having previously served as the club’s backs coach following a glittering playing career which included representing Scotland at two Rugby World Cups.

In his first season at the helm, he guided Gloucester to a seventh place finish in the Guinness Premiership.

In 2010-11, the club won the LV= Cup, finished third in the Aviva Premiership and only lost a semi final play off to eventual winners Saracens by two points.

However, 2011-12 has been more of a struggle with the team losing a number of close fought games to late scores.

With just two matches remaining this season, Redpath has now taken the decision to end his three year tenure.

“It’s a result driven business we’re in and I hold my hand up and take full responsibility for the fact that we’ve not performed as well as we should have.

“I’ve offered my resignation with a heavy heart. I have dearly loved my time at Gloucester. It’s a fantastic club in a true rugby city with devoted, passionate supporters. But, I think it’s now someone else’s turn to take charge.

“There are a lot of people to thank, too many for a press release. However, I must express my gratitude to the Walkinshaw family, Ryan and his father Tom before him, for giving me such a marvellous opportunity here.

“I genuinely think that the future for Gloucester Rugby is bright and I sincerely wish everyone connected with the club the very best for the future.”

Gloucester Rugby Board Member Ryan Walkinshaw admitted that it’s a sad day for the club.

“It is with great sadness that the board accepted Bryan’s resignation. He’s a fine man, a good coach with strong principles and no-one could have worked harder to make a success of the role.

“However, he feels responsible for the recent run of disappointing results on the field of play and feels that he has taken things as far as he can. We respect that decision.

“We would like to stress that Bryan’s departure is not connected with recent media speculation regarding his future and is based purely on results.

“We would like to thank him for everything he’s done for Gloucester Rugby and wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

Aviva Premiership Round 21 preview

Posted on Apr 16, 2012 in Bath, English Rugby, Exeter, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, Harlequins, Leeds Carnegie, Leicester Tigers, London Irish, London Wasps, Newcastle Falcons, Northampton, Premiership, Premiership Rugby, Sale Sharks, Saracens, Worcester Warriors

 

ROUND 21 FIXTURES

Friday 20th April

• Newcastle Falcons v Saracens (Kingston Park 7.45pm)  Live on ESPN

Saturday 21st April

• Bath Rugby v London Wasps (Recreation Ground, 2.15pm)
• Gloucester Rugby v Sale Sharks (Kingsholm, 3pm) 
• Worcester Warriors v London Irish (Sixways, 3pm)
• Harlequins v Leicester Tigers (Twickenham Stoop, 3.15pm)   Live on Sky Sports

Sunday 22nd April

• Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints (Sandy Park, 2pm)  Live on ESPN

Highlights show on ITV4 8pm Sunday evenings.

Newcastle Falcons v Saracens

Newcastle Falcons have now won back-to-back Aviva Premiership Rugby matches against Sale and Gloucester, but have not won three in succession in the competition since November 2009.

Saracens were victorious at London Irish on Saturday but slipped to 3rd place in the table – their lowest position since round three. Sarries only defeat in their last eight away games in all competitions was 11-16 at Worcester on 24 February. The reigning champions need just three more points to guarantee a semi-final spot for a third successive year.

Saracens have won their last six encounters with Newcastle in all competitions, with the Falcons most recent victory in the series being 13-9 at Kingston Park in February 2009.

Bath Rugby v London Wasps

Bath Rugby have slipped to four straight reversals in all competitions since beating Worcester at The Rec on 3 March. Bath have lost three of their last four home games.

London Wasps’ only win in their last four matches was 26-24 at home to Gloucester in Aviva Premiership Rugby on 1 April. Wasps only away victory since November was 32-11 at Rovigo in the European Challenge Cup on 14 January.

Wasps won 27-24 when the two teams met at Adams Park in round six, but have not achieved a season’s double over Bath since 2007/08. The Londoners have won on their last two visits to The Rec.

Gloucester Rugby v Sale Sharks

Gloucester Rugby have slipped to four consecutive reversals in Aviva Premiership Rugby but have not lost five in a row in the Premiership since early 2001. Gloucester have not lost three in a row at Kingsholm since April 2005.

Sale Sharks ended a three match losing run with their 16-9 victory at home to Bath on Friday. The Sharks’ solo away win in the Premiership since September was 16-13 at Bath on 3 December.

The last nineteen encounters between the two clubs in all competitions have all been won by the home side on the day, whilst Sale have not been victorious at Kingsholm since a 19-18 victory on 26 August 2000.

Worcester Warriors v London Irish

Worcester Warriors only win in their last four games was 19-9 at home to Newcastle on 23 March.

The Warriors’ five match winning run at Sixways in all competitions ended at the hands of Exeter on Saturday.

London Irish have slipped to seven straight defeats in Aviva Premiership Rugby – their worst ever sequence in Premiership history. The Exiles have won just once on the road this season in the tournament: 14-13 at Northampton in round three.

The Warriors are winless in their last ten Premiership encounters against London Irish since their 20-15 victory at Madejski Stadium on 11 September 2005.

Harlequins v Leicester Tigers 

Harlequins have already qualified for the semi-finals, and if they prevent Tigers winning this game it will be at home, whilst their only reversal in their last seven Aviva Premiership Rugby matches was 23-29 at Gloucester in round 16.

Leicester Tigers have picked up maximum points from their last five Premiership matches and require just two further league points to reach the playoffs for the eighth successive season. Tigers have suffered just one defeat to an English side since Harlequins visited Welford Road on 8 October.

Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints

Exeter Chiefs have won six of their last seven matches in Aviva Premiership Rugby including four victories in a row, whilst victory over Saints would guarantee them a first ever semi-final spot.

Northampton Saints have won just two of their last five away games in all competitions and must prevent the Chiefs winning this game if they are to keep their own hopes of a playoff spot alive.

Exeter’s only competitive victory over Northampton came in this equivalent fixture at Sandy Park last season.