Gloucester head into the Premiership’s four-week break second in the table after a 28-14 defeat at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday, their second loss of the season. It came eight days after a 23-5 win over Bath at Kingsholm, the first time they had beaten Bath since a 64-0 win in April 2022.
Friday, 23rd October was not comfortable. Gloucester were shown three yellow cards, two of them overlapping to leave them with 13 players for a spell, in front of a sold-out Kingsholm. George Barton kicked three first-half penalties, and Freddie Thomas and Max Llewellyn scored second-half tries, both converted by Barton. Bath’s only score was a Kepu Tuipulotu try just before half-time. Head coach George Skivington said that “Bath at home is the number one fixture for our fans.”
For Bath, it was a third straight defeat across all competitions, leaving them sixth with 11 points from four league games. Gloucester had stayed top with 16 points from four rounds.
At Northampton, the game turned. The sides were level at 14-14 at half-time, with Llewellyn and Will Joseph scoring Gloucester’s tries and Barton converting both. Northampton then scored 28 unanswered points to come from behind, and Gloucester pressed until the end without breaking through. The result lifted Northampton to third, level on points with Gloucester in second, as the Premiership broke for the international window.
Three wins and two defeats from five rounds is a record most clubs would take. Gloucester won at Exeter, beat Harlequins 48-0 at Kingsholm and lost 38-31 at Leicester on 9th October, a game in which they rescued two bonus points. The question for Skivington is what the squad looks like when it comes back together.
For a month at least, it will be thinner than usual. England’s 36-player training squad assembled at Pennyhill Park last week, and three Gloucester players are in it. Fly-half Charlie Atkinson, who won his only England cap against the USA in 2025 and recently signed a contract that runs to 2029, was called in to replace the injured Fin Smith. Centre Will Joseph has been called up after a very positive start to the season, and lock Arthur Clark is in the forward group. Club vice-captain Seb Atkinson is also with England on the rehabilitation list and is expected to feature in the autumn subject to fitness. England’s campaign begins against Australia on 8th November.
Wales’ squad, under head coach Steve Tandy, is led by captain Dewi Lake, in a squad that also boasts the names of Jac Morgan and Max Llewellyn from Gloucester.
That matters because of how Gloucester set up their leadership group. Lake was named club captain for the season, supported by England centre Seb Atkinson and Wales and British & Irish Lions back-row Jac Morgan as vice-captains. Much of that group will be away for international duty or rehabilitation during the break.
Skivington’s own role is newer than it looks. He was director of rugby until March 2026, when Chris Boyd arrived as consultant technical director and Skivington moved into the head coach role, reporting to Boyd. Gloucester’s start under that arrangement has been a good argument in its defence. The break gives them time to find out whether the Northampton second half was a one-off or the first sign of a drift.
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