Exciting youngsters vying for Gloucester fly-half role

The sudden exit of England international Danny Cipriani from the Gloucester camp has opened the door for two young fly-halves in Lloyd Evans and George Barton to prove their worth before new signing Adam Hastings arrives on the scene next season.

The development regarding Cipriani would have been music to Evans’ ears as the 25 year-old is the obvious immediate successor for the number 10 channel and the mouth-watering prospect of 23 games now stands between him and Hastings’ arrival at the club.

Evans will have competition, however – in the form of youngster George Barton – England U20 representative.

Gloucester coach George Skivington, speaking to the press after Cipriani’s departure, is confident in the abilities of the two youngsters:

“The beauty of coming into the team at the end of last season [having taken over from Johan Ackermann during lockdown] and challenging people and testing people is some guys who hadn’t been exposed as often as they could have got a chance to play, and I am always going to see things different from the coaches who have come before.

“Someone like Lloyd [Evans] hasn’t had a lot of exposure and he will going forward, and so will George [Barton] because I thought his composure was outstanding at the weekend [during his Champions Cup debut in the 55-10 defeat at Lyon].

“Lloyd is coming along really well.

“He is young and hungry and he is Gloucester through and through and he is really enjoying working with Alex King [attack coach] developing his game.

“He had a great game against Wasps and it is unfortunate he got a head bang against Quins because he was on form and it would have been interesting to see that game out with him on the field.

“Lloyd is here for the future and he is doing a great job and we are all very excited about that.

“George Barton really impressed me at the weekend and I think George has got a big future at the club going forward.”

With other fly-half option Billy Twelvetrees also currently out with an ankle injury (which is expected to keep him on the sidelines until the end of January, it was asked of Skivington whether plans were in place to rush in a temporary outsider as further cover for the fly-half role.

“We are okay now,” he said.

“It is something we will review and have the conversations we have to have behind the scenes and work out where we stand and where we think we need cover.

“That is an ongoing exercise all the time and when you get smashed with injuries over a certain period you are always thinking where can I plug that hole, how long is that guy out for.

“Those are pretty fluid conversations which are happening all the time anyway.”

Gloucester face Ulster this weekend in Round 2 of the Champions Cup and Skivington seems at ease with the Cherry & Whites’ current fly-half situation.

“Lloyd and George are coming through well and that puts us in a good spot.

“It is always sad when you have got to say goodbye to somebody of Danny’s quality in a squad but after the conversations I have had with Danny I am very comfortable this is the right thing for him to do.

“I know he is excited to move on.

“We have just got to adapt and work out a plan around not having Danny here which is just another job for the coaches.”