George Skivington: Gloucester head coach says squad rotation lessons learned

Gloucester won all five of their group matches in the Premiership Rugby Cup through September and October

Gloucester have learned from last season after they "fell into the trap" of playing the same team too much, says head coach George Skivington.

The Cherry and Whites started the last Premiership campaign strongly, winning six of their first seven games, and were fourth at the start of December.

But they tailed off during the second half of the season and won only one of nine league games in 2023.

They finished 10th in the table, with their lowest points tally this century.

"I think I'm definitely thinking differently this year around a few things," Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"We did come out of the blocks and potentially the trap we fell into was playing the same team too much.

"Then when we lost a few bodies - which is rugby - we maybe asked a little bit too much of a few too many to jump in.

"I think there's a balance around how you use your squad, that would be my biggest reflection of last year, and I think if you get it right you put yourself in the best position at the back-end of the season to be shooting at what you want to shoot at."

Gloucester open this Premiership season at home to Harlequins on Saturday, having won all five of their group matches in the Premiership Rugby Cup to progress to the semi-finals of the competition in February.

The unbeaten run has created a feel-good factor around Kingsholm.

"I feel confident in the objective of the Premiership Cup was to win the games, but also was to share the minutes out amongst the squad," Skivington said.

"I think we're in the position that we've got a competitive squad now and there's been some real headaches this week around who we're going to pick - and those five games have allowed us to do that."

While former England number eight Zach Mercer and Wales centre Max Llewellyn have been recruited this summer, the focus has been on development with a host of young London Irish players also brought in after the Exiles collapsed.

But a greater focus has been on homegrown talent bedding in with the existing senior players.

"I've been excited about this group for a good number of years and now we're starting to see them come through," Skivington said.

"We've had some ups and downs but hopefully the two gelling together this year will kick us on."