England star confident of Gloucester contract

England star James Simpson-Daniel today revealed that contract talks are moving “in the right direction” as Powergen Cup winners Gloucester look to retain one of British rugby’s hottest properties next season.

Twickenham hero Simpson-Daniel – who scored two tries in the 40-22 victory over Northampton – is among several Gloucester players whose existing Kingsholm deals will end next month.

And while the 20-year-old wing would prove a major catch for any of Gloucester’s Zurich Premiership rivals, early indications suggest that he will not be going anywhere.

“Obviously, I would like to stay at Gloucester, that is the first thing that has got to be said. As long as things are right, then I would love to stay,” he claimed.

“Gloucester are on the up, they are going places and have a great bunch of guys. The coaches and management are really good as well.

“It is quite important that I don’t get too involved in the discussions - that’s what you pay an agent for – so he will relate back to me what is going on, and hopefully, we will get something done quite soon.”

If Gloucester, whose financial struggles have been well-documented following the collapse of club owner Tom Walkinshaw’s motor racing concerns, can hang on to Simpson-Daniel then it would be a major feather in rugby director Nigel Melville’s cap.

“Nigel is close to the players and I get on well with him,” Simpson-Daniel added.

“Things seem to have gone in the right direction with the talks, and from what my agent says, they are quite confident an agreement has been made and hopefully we can get that tied up as soon as possible.”

Simpson-Daniel and his fellow Gloucester young guns – 22-year-old number eight James Forrester and 19-year-old wing Marcel Garvey – all scored tries as the Cherry and Whites condemned Northampton to a fourth cup final defeat in 12 years.

An epic final, in which the lead changed hands seven times, went Gloucester’s way as they racked up 20 unanswered second-half points to thrill their 25,000 travelling fans and lift the financial gloom that has hovered menacingly over Kingsholm this term.

“We have had players’ meetings and management meetings, and the main thing that we’ve taken out of them all is that we stick together and that we perform,” said Simpson-Daniel.

“That is what we do at the end of the day, no matter what is going on around us. If players leave, it will make things harder maybe, but the important thing is that we all stick together.

“For me, this is right up there at the very top with my England caps and winning the Hong Kong Sevens, and I hope my brain can remember it all. I am lucky enough to have some great memories.

“It was absolutely perfect, it was as good as it could have been. We won the final, and that’s all that counts. Sides who play great rugby but don’t win, are not remembered.”

Gloucester, winners in 1972, 1978 and shared 1982 recipients with Moseley following a 12-12 draw, became only the third team – after Bath and Saracens - to score 40 points in English cup rugby’s 31-year history of Twickenham finals.

And it more than made amends for their last final appearance 13 years ago, when Bath humiliated them 48-6.

“We’ve delivered at a very important time of the season,” said Melville, whose players have completed part one of a potential domestic league and cup double.

“I certainly can’t complain at how the season has gone so far, but I would hate to think what would have happened had we gone home empty-handed from Twickenham.

“You look around, see the fans and you see what something like this means to Gloucester. It means so much – it is what Gloucester is all about.

“Obviously, it has been difficult in recent months. Every month, since the beginning of the season, there has been a scaling down of things, but we are trying to maintain the quality.

“I don’t think that the financial thing has got to the players. They are passionate about the game, they are passionate about the club they play for, and everyone, to a man, wants to be here next season,” he added.

“Maybe time is limited for us as a team, and maybe there will be changes, but we’ve had a very special day together, and now we move on.”

Although Gloucester ultimately lifted the silverware, Northampton more than played their part in what was a truly memorable encounter.

Saints fought back brilliantly after England scrum-half Matt Dawson’s wild pass gifted Simpson-Daniel his opening try on five minutes, turning a 10-3 deficit into a 16-10 lead through an astonishing points blitz.

Full-back Nick Beal’s clinical breakaway try completed a five-minute burst of 13 points, but classic tries either side of half-time by Garvey and the brilliant Forrester set up Gloucester’s glory bid.

Fly-half Ludovic Mercier finished with 20 points, eclipsing opposite number Paul Grayson’s 17-point haul, and Gloucester saw Saints off during the closing stages when Grayson was sin-binned and Dawson delivered another overly-ambitious ball that Mercier intercepted to send Simpson-Daniel scorching clear for the clincher.