James Simpson-Daniel's weekly column: The Adventures of Sinbad.
Brought to you in association with rugby charity Wooden Spoon
TOUGH GUYS SIONE AND DAN SHOW QUALITIES FOR THE TOP
THE TOUGHNESS to raise your game consistently to the top level, not just be content with being a part of a top-flight squad – that is a hugely impressive quality.
But to manage that in your first season in the Premiership, that is something else entirely.
And that's why I believe the season ticket holders called it just right when they voted Sione Kalamafoni their player of the year at the weekend.
The same goes for them selecting Dan Robson as young player of the season too.
Both in their first full Gloucester season, and both have impressed consistently all year.
Sione stepped up from Nottingham and immediately showed his physicality and brutal ball-carrying skills.
He gets through a phenomenal amount of carries every match – and he would run into and through brick walls all day long if he had to.
But that is far from the only string to his bow.
In Saturday's victory over Saracens, Ben Morgan's try showed a different side to Sione's abilities.
In their bid to stop Sione, Saracens did not quite pick up the fantastic line cut by Ben.
Sione drew the defence and produced a perfect offload to allow Ben to hit the gap, and power straight through.
A great line picked from Ben – but an equally shrewd piece of play from Sione to send him through.
Both those awards are richly deserved, and I think it speaks volumes for Dan that in a season where an All Black World Cup winner arrived he has still been able to make such a big impact in his breakthrough year.
Dan hasn't strictly made the step up from the league below of course, coming through the academy.
But it is his first full season as a first-team regular, and he has really put a marker down for a big future.
He has grown in his game all season, and with more experience he will gain confidence and greater understanding – and that will only serve to improve him still further.
I HOPE FUTURE OF HEINEKEN CUP IS ASSURED SOON
SECURING Heineken Cup rugby for next season is definitely worth celebrating.
It is the competition everyone wants to play in – and it is right where Gloucester must always fight to be.
After a break it will be great to be back next season.
The Saracens victory was much needed after the disappointment and the manner of the defeat at Sale the previous week.
The whole mood has lifted at the club, and now we can go to Exeter in good spirits next weekend, with a tiny little edge of pressure lifted.
It will still be a huge game though – and we must understand that unless we are completely switched on, they will punish us and beat us heavily.
The play-offs are now out of reach, and some will say several frustrating results mean we didn't truly deserve to finish in the top four.
Perhaps that's the case, and no one will try to defend our galling home loss to London Irish who were in wretched form at the time, and that heavy defeat at Sale a fortnight back.
The counter argument is our two massive victories over Leicester and Harlequins at home, which prove that when we get it right we can be extremely dangerous.
Consistency is the obvious key, and that's what we'll strive for next season.
Our character has carried us through some tough situations this year – add extra precision and that elusive consistency, and hopefully we'll be well-placed next term.
It will be great to be back in Europe's top competition.
Putting the politics aside because that's not a player's concern, I think everybody just wants the long-term future of the Heineken Cup assured as quickly as possible.
As it stands none of the wrangling has affected us as players, but if the disputes were to run into next season then that may change.
All I will say is that we have one of the best club competitions in the world – so we should cherish and develop it, not haggle to the point of jeopardising its future.
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT Q DESERVES HIS NOMINATION
AKAPUSI Qera has been exceptional throughout his entire Kingsholm tenure.
Since he arrived in 2007 he has stood out consistently.
Q made the Premiership player of the year award shortlist in his first season here – and this week we have found out he has been nominated again.
It is always a privilege for any player to be shortlisted for an award, and I know Q will definitely feel that way.
It is great for him, and just reward for another fantastic season.
And it's also a big accolade for the club too, because I think often national award nominations are a by-product of a good year.
But let's not take anything away from Q – he really is playing well.
Against Saracens on Saturday, I thought that he put in a very clever defensive performance.
He's another, a bit like Sione, that is known for ball-carrying.
But again, there's far more to his game than big hits with and without the ball.
At the weekend he was always popping up filling just the right gaps defensively, and that had a big impact on the result, without a doubt.
