Skivington says season toughest of coaching career

Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington has called this season the toughest of his career.

The Cherry and Whites finished last season fifth in the Prem, missing out on the play-offs on the final day, but have spent much of this campaign towards the bottom end of the division.

"It's been the toughest season of my coaching career, without a doubt," Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"I have learned a huge amount, and that is what this season has been all about for me. Hopefully it's now time to step back, evaluate what you are good at, what you want to do, and how you want to run the club."

With the Kingsholm side's released list confirmed, Skivington believes Gloucester can kick on when next season starts in September.

He puts that down to the recent recruitment policy, on and off the pitch.

"The club has been brilliant in appointment, and we now have everyone in the right place, doing what they want to do," Skivington said.

"I can now put my energy into things I enjoy doing and things I am good at, and hopefully the boys can feed off that.

"It has been a tough year, but the boys and the staff have been unbelievable - they give you such energy and always go hard when we ask them.

"We can now cover much more than before and there is excitement about what we can do going forward."

Despite their testing campaign, a chance to confirm Investec Champions Cup rugby for the second consecutive season beckons this weekend.

The Cherry and Whites can finish seventh if results go their way.

Skivington's side lost out to league leaders Northampton Saints in the closing stages last time out, despite a performance in which they "emptied the tank" and "threw everything we had worked on at the game" at Franklin's Gardens.

A win this weekend would be a third in a row at Kingsholm to see out the campaign.

"We have it [a top-eight finish] in our hands, and we would rather have it that way," said Skivington.

"You want to shoot as high as you can all the time, and that you don't get too bogged down in the what ifs. We just need to keep trying to win rugby matches and wherever we end up, we end up.

"Credit to the lads, they have worked so hard, we just need to do what we need to do.

"Playing at Kingsholm is massive. We have not had the season we wanted but when we run out at home wearing the badge, we leave it all out there."