On-field rivalry spread to the pages of two westcountry publications before a crunch rugby match at the weekend.

Even before a ball had been kicked in he massive rugby clash between Gloucester and Bath, hostilities were well and truly under way.

The match was to decide the fate of both teams’ seasons – but an article in the Bath Chronicle ruffled a few feathers further north.

Mike Tremlett, the paper’s ‘voice of rugby’, launched an attack on Gloucester and their supporters, suggesting that Gloucester should adopt the ostrich as their mascot, because on the club’s official website’s front page, the Premiership table missed out Bath, who were top.

The website league snapshot only showed Gloucester and the teams immediately above and below – and of course, had the full league shown elsewhere.

But the article continued: “For the last two seasons, the Gloucester supporters club intelligentsia – The Shed, who all wear replicas of Trevor Woodman’s shirt because the number [one] is easy to remember – have regaled Bath supporters with prolonged, and thoroughly boring, choruses of their version of ‘going down, going down’ at every opportunity.

“Last November, Bath silenced the Kingsholm choir with a 14-man win [Bath won 20-14] which even the Sheddites managed to keep track of without taking their shoes off.”

Bob Rumble, chairman of the Kingsholm Supporters Mutual, said: “I do hope that people do not pay much attention to this nonsense.”

Gloucester Rugby Club spokesman Justin Hopwood said: “We are a bit disappointed that the supposed ‘voice of rugby’, Mike Tremlett, has written an article with such comments.”

But David Gledhill, the editor of the Bath Chronicle, told The Citizen: “There has been friendly rivalry between our two clubs for years.

“What do you expect Mike to say? He hardly wants you to win, nor come to think of it does anyone in Bath. Surprised?

“Just come down here today and enjoy yourselves, and we will try not to be too hard on you points wise.”

And the result?

Bath secured top place in the table and a place in the Zurich Premiership final after crushing Gloucester at the Recreation Ground. The final score was Bath 41-7 Gloucester.

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail [email protected]