James Simpson-Daniel's weekly column in association with rugby charity Wooden Spoon:
ELEMENTS of my shoulder injury rehab have thrown me slightly in the last few weeks.
The specialist warned I might have to write off the season, but the medics and physios at Gloucester said we should just work as hard as possible and aim for fitness before the end of the campaign.
I won't be fit for Saturday's Saracens match, as I had hoped.
And it seems it's getting closer to the specialist being right as things stand.
But it's still a race against time to be fit before the end of the season, and I still don't see any reason at all why I can't be ready to face Exeter in the final game of the regular schedule.
Win or lose against Saracens this week, and the Exeter game will be massive.
Beat Saracens and we'll be right in the mix for the play-offs – lose and we'll be out to preserve Heineken Cup rugby.
So whatever happens that trip to Sandy Park will be pivotal.
And now I am just desperate to get back fit for that.
Maybe the fact there is no game next week will be my saving grace.
It gives me another training week to push extremely hard.
Hopefully I'll be ready for Exeter on Saturday, May 4.
TOO MUCH TIME SPENT WATCHING TV REPLAYS
SALE'S third try on Friday night was the product of a blatant forward pass.
I cannot believe the Television Match Official could review that, and still award the try.
In a way – and aside from the fact it was against Gloucester – I am glad Cameron Shepherd's try was given.
I am concerned about the number of referrals we are getting now to the TMO, or video referee.
I don't believe many people watching that live would have called that a forward pass straight away – and I'm not talking about television viewers.
Replays show it was clearly forward.
But to the naked eye it did not necessarily seem that way.
There are plenty of borderline passes that seem totally fine to the naked eye.
And if every last one is scrutinised, we will never see any tries.
The amount of time the deliberations take is also a concern.
This is supposed to be entertainment.
Football is starting to think about these problems, with goalline technology coming into play next season.
The debate there stems around the need to keep the game flowing and cut down delays.
Well rugby has gone beyond that now, and there's definitely a problem.
Everyone wants to see accuracy, but let's not lose the speed or the feel of our game.
WE MUST PLAY SARRIES AT THEIR OWN GAME AND WIN FOR BUCKO
SOMETIMES you have to play a side at their own game to beat them.
Nigel Davies has drummed home the point to us this week, because it might just be crucial this weekend.
Saracens have become an increasingly impressive team in the last few years.
They had a reputation for playing restricted rugby, but in recent times have added to that.
And when they saw off champions Harlequins 27-12 (pictured right) at home in March, they really opened up to produce some great attacking rugby.
That's what Quins tend to do, and Saracens certainly turned it against them that week.
It's a result that proves Nigel's point, and is certainly something we'll keep well in mind on Saturday.
Our last home game of the season is a big match for a lot of reasons, but certainly for those who will be moving on in the summer.
Pete Buxton is among those, and it's crazy to think he will play for Bristol next year.
Bucko hasn't once spoken about his Bristol move since it was announced.
And that just shows how committed he is to the job in hand.
He's a Gloucester player until the moment he walks out of Kingsholm for the very last time.
And that means all he cares about is winning games for the club.
I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the sight of him in anything other than Gloucester colours.
There won't be many Gloucester boys keen to face him next term – it's bad enough getting Bucko'd in training!
With guys in Bucko's situation at the weekend, there's absolutely no shortage of motivation.
Hopefully they can sign off in style, and we can keep our top-four dream alive.
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR DESTINATION REVEALED
I CAN exclusively reveal our big Magical Mystery Tour found us in deepest darkest Wales – but it was much better than it sounds!
Nigel Davies had organised for us to go coasteering, that's an adventure sport based around negotiating coastlines by a mixture of rock-climbing, swimming and scrambling.
The whole mystery plan went down really well, the coaches kept the suspense brilliantly.
We honestly had no idea what we were doing or where we were going.
I think it was perfectly-timed.
It's amazing what a change of scene and outlook can do.
