Gloucester boss Bryan Redpath insists his side are not looking ahead to the play-offs after securing a 27-15 victory Northampton.
Gloucester boss not thinking of play-offs
Gloucester boss Bryan Redpath insists his side are not looking ahead to the play-offs after securing a 27-15 victory Northampton.
Two more points from their remaining games will assure Gloucester of a spot in the top four and the chance to challenge for the Aviva Premiership title.
But while Redpath was delighted with the victory at Kingsholm on Tuesday night, he says Gloucester are still taking one game at a time.
"We have not talked about the top four - we are just concentrating game by game," he said.
"Northampton are a dangerous team, and if you looked at the strength of their bench tonight, then a 15-point lead could easily have been clawed back.
"But I am delighted for our players. They dug in and defended exceptionally well. We knew how important this game was.
"Seven points from tonight's game and at Leicester last Saturday, I would have taken that beforehand.
Physicality
"We respect Northampton massively - you have got to match their physicality - and we are certainly getting to where we need to be. We've got the win, and I am delighted."
Both sides made wholesale changes for the midweek clash, which had been rearranged after the original Boxing Day date was frozen off.
Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder was left to rue the fact that he could not pick a full-strength team just four days after their last match with Newcastle.
"We should not be playing these midweek fixtures. We need to get adequate covers to play week after week," he said.
He added: "It is disappointing you cannot choose your best team to play every single week.
"We made a good comeback and it was disappointing we did not get a bonus point, but we conceded two sloppy tries.
"Dylan Hartley and Soane Tonga'uiha both went close to tries, and we had some overlaps when we could possibly have done better, but it is still in our hands.
"We need to go down and beat London Irish on Saturday, it's as simple as that."