MOST of the headlines about the Bath-Gloucester match last weekend seemed to be about Butch James – but if you ask me, Dean Ryan deserved to take a big slice of the credit for the result.

If you look back at James' career at Bath, 19 times out of 20 he has been outstanding. The goal-kicker, like the goalkeeper in football, cannot have a bad day, though. If he does, it tends to affect the result and people go home talking about it.

Yes, James had a bad day at the Rec last Saturday – but look at Ryan's team selection.

He brought Olivier Azam, Alex Brown and Andy Hazell into his starting line-up, and it was up front where Gloucester really got stuck into Bath.

Gloucester went to a place they had never won in the league before and they wasted no time in getting right into one of the best packs around – a lot of that was down to the personnel involved, so Dean Ryan must take the credit for that.

Gloucester have got another big game today, against Harlequins at Kingsholm, and I have no doubt Ryan will have been keeping his players' feet on the ground this week.

Harlequins are not lightweights, they are not the naive Guinness Premiership newboys these days, and their start – two wins from two – backs that up.

They have got some classy finishers in their side now, as well as a workmanlike pack and decent half-backs.

They have had some continuity issues at fly-half, but as an all-round side they will pose questions for Gloucester.

But if Gloucester play to their potential – or anywhere near it – they will win the game.

There can be nothing like a win at Bath to boost Gloucester confidence – and I can see them building on that win today.

As for Bath, they have not suddenly become a bad rugby team.

They will not be happy at losing their proud record against Gloucester, but it had to happen at some stage.

A club as strong as Gloucester was always likely to win there one day.

Bath will learn from the mistakes they made at the weekend – and a lot of what went wrong happened between the ears, I'm certain of that.

London Irish are a side who can cause them problems, but if they can get that tightness back in their game and if James can get straight back out there and start kicking his goals, then Bath can win today.

They are a good side who will be in the mix at the end of the season. They seem to be very much about having a strong squad now, like Gloucester and Wasps, so they will not be making their current injuries an excuse.

And while Irish are capable of winning if they get things right, I have a feeling Bath can get back to winning ways and grab a morale-boosting away victory today.

Interview: Steve Cotton