We need strong finish - Ludlow
The Rugby Paper|March 17, 2024
GLOUCESTER have been a cup team this season but skipper Lewis Ludlow is demanding a strong finish to the Premiership campaign which resumes this weekend after an at eight-week break.
PAUL REES
We need strong finish - Ludlow

Gloucester are Leicester on Friday night, the team they beat in the Premiership Cup final two days ago to claim their first trophy in nine years. The Cherry and Whites ended a run of nine straight league defeats when they beat Sale in the last round in January and Ludlow has targeted a rise up the table.

"The Premiership is relentless with games similar week on week and teams heavily analysed," said the 29-year old back rower who earlier in the season signed a contract extension with Glouces ter. "If you have a weakness, a team will find it within the first 10 minutes of a game and then double down on it.

"The cups are a bit different. You have more freedom to play and in Europe you tend to face teams from different leagues. The analysis is not the same and there are variations to the defences and attacks you face.

"The margin between good and bad in the Premiership is very fine, but less so in the cups. We will be going all out in the last six rounds of the league to ensure we finish as high up the table as possible.

"The break has been strange in a way but it was good for us that we had two cup games which gave us something to get stuck into and at the start of the season we targeted having a good run in the Premiership Cup.

Esta historia es de la edición March 17, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición March 17, 2024 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE RUGBY PAPERVer todo
Edwards gives Gatland a little to think about
The Rugby Paper

Edwards gives Gatland a little to think about

A TERRIFIC effort from Ospreys should have seen victory and it was rough justice that high-flying Cardiff escaped with an undeserved draw.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Cowan-Dickie: I'm back and buzzing
The Rugby Paper

Cowan-Dickie: I'm back and buzzing

LUKE Cowan-Dickie's journey back to the pinnacle of rugby is nothing short of extraordinary.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Clow keeps Rams in touch at the top
The Rugby Paper

Clow keeps Rams in touch at the top

RAMS inward approach is paying dividends with the club involved in another title race thanks in part to free scoring flyer Zachary Clow.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Powell powers over to take Quins home
The Rugby Paper

Powell powers over to take Quins home

PLAYMAKER Kayleigh Powell powered past four defenders to score the eighth Harlequins try and narrowly edge out a spirited Trailfinders side to secure a late comeback win in a 15-try derby thriller.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Hathaway can follow Zam Skivington
The Rugby Paper

Hathaway can follow Zam Skivington

GEORGE Skivington has backed Josh Hathaway to continue to go from strength to strength as the young winger attempts to follow in the slipstream of Louis Rees-Zammit and be a big hit for club and country.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Hybrid Hash will tie Borthwick in knots
The Rugby Paper

Hybrid Hash will tie Borthwick in knots

THE description 'Hybrid Central Contracts' does not inspire confidence. Hybrid usually means a bit of this, and a bit of that — and 'Hybrid Hash' would be a more apt term for the RFU contracts given to 17 England players just before the autumn series slump.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Quins leave it late to power past Falcons
The Rugby Paper

Quins leave it late to power past Falcons

MARCUS Smith showed his class on Friday night, being an imperious creator and finisher as Harlequins romped to an emphatic five-try victory on Tyneside.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
We need to see a complete shake-up
The Rugby Paper

We need to see a complete shake-up

A NEW year and change is on the way across many aspects of the game, not least with the possibility of an SGM creating a complete change at the RFU.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Cool McBryde steals it for RGC
The Rugby Paper

Cool McBryde steals it for RGC

BILLY McBryde held his nerve to land a last kick of the match conversion to snatch a stunning 4139 win for RGC over leaders Ebbw Vale at Parc Eirias.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 05, 2025
Century of highs for La Rochelle
The Rugby Paper

Century of highs for La Rochelle

AN IMPRESSIVE milestone at Stade Marcel Deflandre was reached last night, where La Rochelle hosted their 100th sell-out match in a row – either side of the period of pandemic restrictions – a run stretching back to January 2, 2016.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 05, 2025