Slater calls for Tiger-like finish to season grind
ED Slater has ordered Gloucester to adopt the ‘Leicester way' by seizing the moment and powering their way into the Premiership play-offs.
Gloucester face a daunting task against defending champions Exeter today. However, former Tigers lock Slater knows winning at Sandy Park, with backto- back home matches against Harlequins and Bath to come, will unlock the door to the top four.
Warhorse Slater told The Rugby Paper: “We had a good result at Connacht last week to keep our Challenge Cup hopes alive and we just need to understand now that we've still got a lot to play for and we need to feel really excited about that.
“When I was at Leicester there was always a real buzz when you broke through the winter period and got to February/March because it was then full steam ahead. That was what you'd been grinding through the first half of the season for.
“For me, that's the way1
Slater packs down in the boiler room alongside Tom Savage, who replaces Jeremy Thrush as one of four changes to the side that defeated Connacht.
Josh Hohneck replaces Val Rapava Ruskin at loosehead and Ruan Ackermann takes the No.8 jersey from Ross Moriarty, while in the backs Tom Hudson comes in at full-back for Jason Woodward.
Slater knows only a complete performance will suffice against a side he respects highly.
“I admire the way Exeter are coached and you can see players going into that side who are maybe not household names but thrive,” he explained.
“Jonny Hill's a good example. He didn't get much of an opportunity at Gloucester but he seems to have slotted into that Exeter pack seamlessly and he's playing good stuff.
“They get the best out of their players. The style of play is based on possession and they look after the ball.
They've got an abrasive pack, very good goal-kickers and they make the most of their opportunities inside the opposition's 22.
“They're a very good, well-rounded side and the challenge for us is how we produce a performance over 80 minutes because that's what we'll need.
“There aren't many times this season where you could say we've done that – either we've started slowly and come back into games or we've started well and let things go – so today is a test of whether we can do it for the full 80 minutes.” Slater, 29, has thrived in his first season at Gloucester following last summer's shock move.
He added: “I've got 20- odd games under my belt so far and I'd like to feel I've made a contribution. Rotation means you can't play every game, but the byproduct of that is you have a squad full of hungry people trying to make their point.”
Exeter retain just two starters, fly-half Joe Simmonds and flanker Dave Dennis, from their Anglo- Welsh Cup final triumph over Bath ten days ago.
Don Armand will captain, while there are welcome returns for two other England men, Jack Nowell and Luke Cowan- Dickie, after ankle injuries.
Chiefs backs coach Ricky Pellow warned: “Gloucester can open you up. They like to move the ball into space, have a really good offloading game and if you back off them and are not 100 per cent there, they have players who will punish you. “They are one of the form teams so we have to be right on the money.”
