All Cherry and White
Last updated: 28th September 2007
Exciting, unpredictable and brave: Ryan Lamb
Dean Ryan is building a squad not just to succeed in the short term but to be a major force for years to come.
Will Chignall
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Live on Sky Sports
With Miles Harrison out in France, on loan to ITV for the World Cup, Will Chignell steps into the commentary box for Sky Sports' live coverage of the Guinness Premiership.
Our new season of live domestic rugby continues this weekend at Kingsholm where Gloucester host Worcester Warriors.
Here on skysports.com, Will is covering for Miles as well and previews the big Guinness Premiership games live on Sky Sports...
Guinness Premiership - live on Sky Sports
Gloucester v Worcester (KO 6pm)
Saturday, 5.30pm - Sky Sports 2
Gloucester have made the perfect start to the season and are justifying a lot of people's tip for them to top the pile at the end of the season. But can they do better than that and beat the big boys when it counts in a final.
WILL: It is very early in the season to start thinking about finals, it is only week two, but they have enjoyed the perfect start to this campaign.
They have been hurt in finals previously, and in fact were smacked twice by the two big hitters in the modern era; Wasps in 2003 and last year by Tigers.
But Dean Ryan is building a squad not just to succeed in the short term but to be a major force for years to come. He is blending a clever mix of international experience, such as Cristian Califano, and youth from the club's own ranks, with players like Ryan Lamb, Anthony Allen and Ollie Morgan that are really special.
On top of that he has phenomenally good club players, some of whom are unlucky not to wear the England shirt more often; Andy Hazell for one.
Lamb is on fire and his unpredictability creates the chances for the killer finishers outside like James Simpson-Daniel and Iain Balshaw.
And now Mike Tindall is back after five months out with a broken leg and he is bursting at the seams to get back out on to the paddock.
The way they play makes for extremely attractive watching. Ironically, it is not unlike their opponents this week, Worcester, under the guise of former Wales coach Mike Ruddock.
What have you made of Worcester's start to the new season, particularly the way they are playing under their new coach?
WILL: Worcester have always had a Plan A; a well-drilled pack of forwards by former coach John Brain, now with Bristol. Now, by their own admission, they have developed a Plan B, and it was that plan that pulled of stunning draw against Wasps last weekend.
Ruddock this week told The Rugby Club how he wants to play a similar brand of rugby to Gloucester, built on flexibility and intelligence as well as muscle, dynamism and a strong set piece.
It is enough to make the mouth water, the prospect of watching these two sets of players going at each other and both clubs have big hitters to come back after the World Cup.
Gloucester will welcome back the likes of Marco Bortolami, Chris Paterson and Jeremy Paul while for Warriors Rico Gear, Sam Tuitupou and Greg Rawlinson will bolster the ranks.
Gloucester may be further down the track in terms of making a serious tilt at silverware this season but Worcester will match them for ambition.
One to Watch: Ryan Lamb, fly-half, Gloucester
WILL: He is exciting, unpredictable and brave enough to gamble. It wonderful to watch a fly-half with not just only the skill set but the vision and instinct to take advantage of opportunities that arise. Lamb makes try-scoring chances when other won't even think they existed.
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