Gloucester Rugby is gearing up to face Bath Rugby at the Recreation Ground this Saturday in a pivotal West Country derby, with number eight Will Trenholm declaring that the team will come ‘all guns blazing.’
This final pool match in the PREM Rugby Cup acts as a virtual knockout round, where the stakes are sky-high. The winner is almost guaranteed a place in the semi-finals scheduled for Sunday, March 8. While Gloucester could still progress with two bonus points in defeat—provided Bath doesn’t secure a bonus-point win—the team is focused solely on victory at the Rec. This comes after a series of narrow derby losses, including a tight 30-26 defeat at Kingsholm in last month’s Gallagher PREM encounter.
Trenholm emphasized the intensity of the rivalry: “There’s always an extra 10 percent when it’s a West Country derby. Our last meeting with Bath was a fierce contest, coming down to the last minute. Although we lost, we left the field encouraged.”
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He added, “Next week is about correcting mistakes. There’s nothing better than knockout rugby—it brings extra excitement and pressure, which we thrive on. Bath sit second in the Prem standings while we’re eighth, so we’re going in as underdogs. But there’s nothing better than going to someone else’s ground as the underdog and getting a win. That’s our plan—going all guns blazing.”
Gloucester arrives on the back of one of their finest performances this season—a dominant 43-17 victory over an underperforming Sale Sharks at Kingsholm, featuring seven tries. Trenholm, who crossed the try line himself and was a contender for player of the match, stressed the importance of mental focus this weekend.
“It’s a derby, but above all, it’s rugby,” Trenholm said. “We can’t overemphasize the rivalry. We need to focus on our own game, learn from past mistakes, and build on what worked well. It’s not about the derby hype; it’s about sticking to our process, holding firm to our strengths, and showing the fight, energy, and unity we displayed against Sale.”
Both teams are expected to field strong line-ups, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter with semi-final qualification on the line.