OJO'S INSIDE LINE: Derbies are days to savour (From Wiltshire Times)

OJO'S INSIDE LINE: Derbies are days to savour

4:00pm Friday 5th October 2012 in Sport

WHILE two of my former sides meet in the Aviva Premiership at Kingsholm tomorrow, I have my own reunion going on at Trowbridge RFC.

Bath side Walcot, who I coached for a couple of years, are the visitors to Green Lane and it’s always special to come up against a previous club.

I had a successful time there – we were promoted – and it should be a good occasion.

We’ve had a few injuries in the squad but we’re gradually getting players back and are not far away from full strength.

A few weeks into the new season, I’d like to mention Adam Sullivan, who has probably been our ‘player of the month.’ He’s been playing in the forwards and backs and has still been one of our best players on the pitch.

Bath’s visit to Gloucester tomorrow is a big occasion for both teams because they are both in something of a transitional state.

If I were Bath I would go in with absolutely no pressure. Their record there isn’t great and it takes time for a new coaching team’s ideas to bed in.

Gloucester, under Nigel Davies, are in a similar position, but you would expect them to win because they have home advantage.

What will be interesting is that these two teams were among the most exciting to watch in the Premiership a couple of seasons ago so we’ll see how those philosophies have changed.

This match is always a great occasion and I’ve seen how the teams approach it from both sides.

When I played for Bath, the attitude going to Kingsholm was always that if we did our jobs, we would win.

But I remember one Gloucester legend explaining to me what the match meant to his club.

He said that they felt they had to defend their city. When he put it like that, you could see where he was coming from.

Let Steve know your thoughts via wiltshiretimes.co.uk or ohoulihan@newswilts.co.uk