CLEAR heads can help Gloucester negotiate a pivotal Premiership sequence and set up an all-out play-off drive, believes Nigel Davies.
The Gloucester boss will do his best to stop his players 'bouncing off the walls' at Welford Road in today's league clash with Leicester Tigers (kick-off 5pm).
Rugby director Davies admits Gloucester will have a far clearer picture of their league standing after the crucial Christmas fixture run.
Hailing last week's 18-16 Exeter victory as vital to Gloucester's chances of cementing a top-four spot after the turn of the year, Davies said the Cherry and Whites are ready for a stern examination at the Tigers.
The former Llanelli Scarlets boss explained: "It's a big opportunity for us, a chance to maintain a strong position.
"We've looked at these three games as pivotal for us – Exeter, Leicester and London Irish – and hopefully we can be there or thereabouts at the end of it.
"Where we are at the end of these three games will be crucial. The league is so tight that everything can change from week to week.
"So while we're in a good position now all that can switch around very quickly.
"That's why the Exeter result was so big for us.
"It's very tight at the top, and after the London Irish game we'll have a clearer idea of what we could be chasing.
"We've got to be focused and clear in our minds, we don't want players bouncing off the walls.
"There's a danger in that, and we have to remain composed and clear in what our game is and we're trying to do in all the different parts of that.
"You have to remain calm and focused, and you have to hold that belief you can win.
"That's something we've worked on in training, we've put the boys in certain scenarios, tested them.
"And because we've done that once or twice that certainly helps build the belief.
"The great thing about last week was when Exeter took the lead we didn't panic – we realised field position was our route back into things.
"We applied pressure and it told."
Admitting Gloucester are still working hard to cut down their yellow card ratio, Davies said discipline will be vital today.
He continued: "You never want a yellow card, and certainly when you've got two at any one time it's certainly very testing.
"It's an area that's been disappointing in some respects for us.
"But that said there's no consistency in where we're getting our yellow cards. A few technical infringements are in there as well.
"So we're very mindful of that, but the important thing is we keep on playing the game at the level and the intensity that we are, and we don't want to shy away from that.
"We'll continue to try to deliver at that level and get more accurate in the process."
