Gloucester: George Skivington ready for another Premiership season full of ‘twists and turns’ as he admits planning is ‘pointless’
Gloucester head coach George Skivington is bracing himself for another campaign full of “twists and turns” as he looks to build on a solid 2021/22.
After a tough first campaign in charge, the Cherry and Whites boss enjoyed a much-improved season at the helm last term as he led them to a fifth place finish.
And Skivington is looking to build on that effort this time around as the Premiership campaign looms large on the horizon, with its kick-off on September 9.
Twists and turns to come
“I never plan too far ahead,” he said.
“In this role, I’ve learnt the value of planning past where you can see is completely pointless. I just deal with each hurdle as it comes along.
“We will lose players next season (to international call-ups), there are Premiership Rugby Cup fixtures to deal with, there are bye weeks to deal with and there will always be challenges.
“But they are not really things to dwell on, and it is more to have a plan for what is happening.
“You know that plan is going to have to adjust very quickly a lot of the time and it will take you off one way, something will happen and you have to go the other way. It’s all twists and turns.”
Gloucester have brought in just one new face to their squad ahead of the 2022/23 season as Fiji international back-row Albert Tuisue arrives from Premiership rivals London Irish, with Skivington obviously happy with the group that he has at his disposal.
“I don’t feel for where we are as a club and a team that wholesale changes and trying to bring people in to spark something are what we need,” he added.
“I don’t really see the value of setting targets if they are not just to win. If I said to the lads that the target is to finish sixth, I wouldn’t be inspired by that. It’s not the way I do it.
Never thrown in the towel
“Of course, you want to win every game, but I believe that if you work unbelievably hard and give everything you’ve got, then everyone is going to get behind you, scream and shout and we will have a good time.
“Even on some dark days when we have lost, the boys have never thrown the towel in. We never will, whether we are losing by one point or 20.
“I absolutely love it here. I have committed for the long term, and the club has to me, which I am very grateful for.
“We have laid a good foundation, but that’s it at this point in time. I am really excited about what I think this group could do, and that brings me in buzzing every day.”
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