Imposing second-rows are now on a par with tighthead props as rugby's most sought-after commodities.
Nick Purewal examines how Gloucester will shuffle their pack to offset the loss of France-bound club captain Jim Hamilton.
TOTEMIC will have to be temporarily removed from the Kingsholm lexicon.
Cult hero Big Jim Hamilton leaves a cavernous hole in Gloucester's front-five.
The squad and salary-cap jigsaw mean that, in the short term at least, Nigel Davies is unable to replace the towering Scotland lock directly for next year.
Imposing second-rows scaling the best part of seven feet are increasingly just as in-demand as tighthead props.
But while the French might seem unable to do without – Montpellier threw a stunning contract at Hamilton that the likeable enforcer simply could not refuse – Gloucester are confident they can thrive without an out-and-out giant.
Former Newcastle captain James Hudson – named in the Championship's team of the year – will lead the lineout next term, and there are few more accomplished set-piece technicians.
Gloucester will no doubt miss Hamilton's physicality in the tight exchanges, his control at the rolling maul and his leadership qualities as club captain.
But rugby director Davies and his coaching team will tweak the gameplan just enough to offset that loss.
In time maybe the Cherry and Whites will recruit another natural tight-five tyrant.
For now though, they will compose a front-five unit that can excel without.
The capture of Matt Kvesic from Worcester might just be one of the Premiership's most important signings – not just for next season, but in the years to come.
The Gloucester supporter is excited about his move to Kingsholm.
The Cherry and Whites had to move fast to secure his services – especially as they had initially expected he would stay one more year at Worcester.
Once alerted to the fact Kvesic would definitely leave the Warriors this summer though, Davies acted quickly to ensure Gloucester did not miss out on one of England's brightest young natural openside talents.
If big lump locks are hard to come by, then true groundhog sevens are just as rare.
Men like Andy Hazell have been among the greatest exponents of the 'jackal' turnover technique.
Andrew Stanley was the master who brought Hazell through at Kingsholm.
And now both men will be on hand to help the next jackal hone his craft with the Cherry and Whites.
If Kvesic arrives at Gloucester a year ahead of the original schedule then, that has meant Davies has had to rearrange how he apportions his squad budget.
Maybe that wipes out some funds that could have been directed towards another frontline lock recruit.
But in any case Davies and the Gloucester management believe they will boast a good balance of second-row talent next term.
Kvesic's arrival swells Gloucester's already-bumper back-row stocks – which could lead to versatile Tom Savage spending more time in the second-row next season.
It is easy to forget that Savage is 24 and has just completed only his second full season at Kingsholm.
He is a front-runner for the Gloucester captaincy for next year, such has been his rapid rise with the Cherry and Whites since his days of skippering Hartpury RFC.
It is also easy to forget that Savage is 6ft 6in, 18 stone – and still bulking up at a rate of knots.
If Gloucester do decide to ask the Shropshire-raised grafter to focus at lock, then expect him to beef up still further for next year.
Lua Lokotui was initially brought in to offset the enforced retirement of lineout boss Alex Brown – but next term he is the man who slots into the vacancy left by Hamilton.
The hard-working Tongan showed in his standout performance in Gloucester's 27-11 Premiership victory at Northampton that he has all the physical presence, shrewdness and technical ability to help tie Gloucester's pack together.
Add in the evergreen Will James and the fast-developing youngster Elliott Stooke, and Gloucester are not exactly disheartened by their second-row stocks, despite obvious questions whenever a club captain departs.
Gloucester may yet add one more lock to their first-team squad, but it will not be a frontline recruit.
Davies and his coaching team are far from despondent about their front-five stocks.
The chief challenges though, will be finding a way to combat opposition driving mauls, and to bolster the scrum.
Meticulous Hudson will have the lineout covered in some technical style.
While he might not be a super-heavyweight like Hamilton, he knows how to punch to that standard, and will be influential around the field.
Gloucester's eventual choice of recruit to replace Italy-bound Dario Chistolini will determine quite how they approach the scrum next term.
But Davies will expect both Rupert Harden and Shaun Knight to step on again in that role.
Once again the back-row will hold the highest currency in Gloucester's pack potency though.
Gloucester's coaches believe the breakdown is the Premiership's most pivotal battleground.
Control the tackle-area, and the rest follows.
Kvesic will add balance to Gloucester's power-monger ball-carriers, while no slouch on the hoof himself.
Raise the loose-forward tempo once again, and the Kingsholm bosses can negotiate this shift in focus.
Bryan Redpath built his pack around Hamilton, and Davies would happily have done likewise.
But Gloucester's new helmsman has total control of the tiller, and is well en route to nailing down Kingsholm's new set of navigation charts.
