Bryan Redpath praises Nicky Robinson
Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath has praised fly half Nicky Robinson after the 18-3 win over Bath.
Robinson had a tremendous impact during the game scoring one try, a conversion and two penalties. However, Robinson was forced off at half-time after pulling a hamstring muscle.
Redpath says he hopes this performance will be the turning point of Gloucester's season. He also says he hopes Robinson will be able to recover from injury quickly as he is a key figure in the current
side.
Robinson displayed a large amount of skill, which was too good for Bath during the Premiership clash. The club must nurse the player back to health and not risk making his injury worse.
A key player
Robinson is a key player to the way that Gloucester likes to play rugby. He is a very busy player in the middle of the field. He's good when he is running around like a headless chicken getting involved
with both attack and defence. This part of his game makes him difficult to defend against.
Robinson's pace was far too great for Bath last weekend. The fly half is capable of exploiting the smallest gaps of space in the opposition defence. His speed allows him to dart for the try line as soon
as there is an opening.
Robinson is the best kicker in the Gloucester team. Having a good kicker is vital for the success of any team. Robinson's kicking allowed Gloucester to build a good lead, which they never gave up once
it had been established.
"The conditions we knew would be a leveller. It was crucial to get field position, turn them and put pressure on.
The tries came first from his high ball which we turned over and his grubber through for his try. There were a lot of good things from him. Nicky has his 'knockers'
and people say this and that but what he is a very talented rugby player," said Redpath.
Injury worry
Gloucester has to resist any temptation to rush Robinson back from his hamstring injury. It's clear how important he is to the team and if the side forces him back prematurely
then there is a big risk of a complete tear to the muscle.
The problem is that the hamstring is a very vulnerable muscle. It will be difficult for Robinson to work hard on recovery because the hamstring will be involved with virtually
every activity other than upper body work.
"Nicky pulled a hamstring after 25 minutes. He struggled on with it
but at half-time it just tightened up. It's a blow because when he sticks to that script that we have and he plays the game that he is comfortable with, he's one of the best around," he added.
Betting advice
Gloucester has been very inconsistent so far this season. The club's aim is to make the top four by next spring. However, the impressive displays are countered by poor
ones. Redpath has to work on getting some consistency across the team.
Robinson is a great player to back in the team. The extent of his hamstring injury is not yet known. If it is just a slight pull then he will not be out for longer than
if he had torn the muscle. Keep an eye on the news this week and back him to top score in any match that he plays.
The best bet with Gloucester at the moment is to bet in play. This is much better than gambling on the team until it becomes easier to predict the outcome of Gloucester's
matches.
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