Gloucester have 'earned right' to be in top four

George Skivington has not yet taken Gloucester to a top-four Premiership finish

Gloucester have "earned the right" to be third in the Premiership as they look to finish in the top four for the first time since 2019, says director of rugby George Skivington.

The Cherry and Whites have taken big steps forward this season, after finishing ninth and 10th in the two previous campaigns, and are five points behind second-placed Bristol and level with Leicester below them.

They return to league action on Sunday with a game away to league leaders Bath at the Recreation Ground, their first of seven matches to end the regular season.

"I think we're in a good spot, I think we've earned the right to be where we are," Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"I think the boys have been extremely brave in the way they've played. The boys have worked unbelievably hard. I think we've got a better balance in our game at the moment."

Gloucester's expansive style has seen them become one of the most attack-minded teams in the league

Gloucester's new expansive style of play has seen them transform into one of the most attack-minded teams in the league, after implementing a new approach over the summer led by coach James Lightfoot-Brown.

And while they lost four of their first five Premiership matches this season they turned a corner over the winter, winning four out of five from late November to surge up the table.

In Premiership stats provided by Oval Insights, they currently sit third among all 10 teams for tries scored (44) - averaging four a match; points scored (318) - averaging 28.9 a match; metres made (4,967m); and visits to the opposition 22 (117) - averaging 10.64 a match.

Skivington, who was appointed in 2020, said the club were "realistic" about the league but the emergence of a younger contingent of players pointed to a bright future.

"I think we've taken a big step forward this season as to how we want to play, our identity," Skivington said.

"The biggest thing for me is the young group who's pushed through this season.

"I think the number of them that have taken the bull by the horns is probably what's most exciting."

Skivington said the squad "definitely" think they can get better this season and said they worked on other areas of their game during the eight-week league break.

"We're aware of our strengths and our weaknesses," he said. "We've got to make sure that we keep the balance of the game but keep pushing on."

Skivington is fully aware that the trip to the Recreation Ground will be "a massive test" for Gloucester.

At the reverse fixture in October, Gloucester led at the break but Bath scored six second-half tries to blow the Cherry and Whites away.

"That Bath game was a huge learning for us," added Skivington. "We put ourselves in a really good position then we handed over some really simple tries to them.

"I think we really understand where we have to be good to win those games, whereas I think back then we knew we were good if we were moving the ball but we certainly didn't fully respect the rest of the stuff that we have to be good at."

While prop Afolabi Fasogbon has recovered from an ankle injury, they will be without Arthur Clark, who broke a bone in his foot after being called up to England's Six Nations training squad, while fellow lock Matias Alemanno remains on the sidelines for a "good while" with a shoulder injury, Skivington said.

Back row Albert Tuisue is also unavailable because of the broken arm he sustained during February's Premiership Cup draw against Hartpury.