Rob Cook makes up for lost time with Mike Tindall help at Gloucester

Gloucester full-back Rob Cook has waited a lifetime to get his chance at the top level of elite sport and now he is enlisting Mike Tindall’s help to ensure he makes the most of it.
Since moving from Nuneaton to Cornish Pirates in 2009, The Rugby Paper has highlighted Cook as one of the most promising players outside the Premiership with his ability to read the game and his booming boot.
Those gifts were duly recognised this summer when Nigel Davies, right,  made recruiting Cook one of his first acts at Kingsholm and he has started the last three Premiership games for the Cherry & Whites scoring the decisive try in the derby against Bath last weekend.
Becoming, at 28, one of the older players to make their top-flight bow, Cook is making up for lost time.
He said: “Nigel rang me when I was on holiday and asked me if I wanted to step up to the Premiership. I couldn’t say ‘yes’ quickly enough. It’s always been my dream to play sport at the highest level.
“When I was younger, I was more of a cricketer but once I started concentrating on rugby I never gave up hope I could make it. I have started at the bottom but have worked up way up.
“At first I was a bit overawed but guys like Mike Tindall are so down to earth. I am just trying to learn as much as I can off him.
“He has so much experience to pass on and often it is just little things he notices in my game. Like when I’m counter attacking, he says look for me and run at me and I’ll create space for you with my run. That type of stuff has been really important to helping me bed in.
“I might not be the youngest in terms of age, but given my background I still feel I have a lot of potential.”
Cook accumulated over 1,000 points with his idiosyncratic kicking style in three seasons with the Pirates although he has yet to kick for Gloucester.
Indeed with Jonny May, Martyn Thomas and the injured Olly Morgan all competing for the same shirt, Cook will have his work cut out just to keep hold of a starting berth.
But even though he has immediately endeared himself to Gloucester supporters with his derby day exploits, he remains adamant that the Kingsholm faithful have only seen a small glimpse of his talent.
He said: “It was brilliant to get that try in such an amazing atmosphere but I still feel I have been solid rather than special.
“There’s more to come in attack especially, I’m still getting to know the boys and learning to play off them rather than waiting for something to happen.
“There’s a big step up from the Championship to the Premiership, especially in terms of speed, and that’s something I’m adapting to. I’m also getting used to playing with the rest of the boys but I also made a step up when I came into the Championship and I did adapt. I feel I’ll just get better and better.
“There’s so much talent in the backline it’s frightening but I’m feeling more at home. There is the feeling that Nigel Davies is building something down here and all the boys say it’s completely different to the feeling around the club last year.
“Something special is being put together and I’m just thrilled to be a part of that.”
DANIEL SCHOFIELD