Category: Challenge Cup

Gloucester reached the semi-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup, pulling away from Ospreys in the second half at Kingsholm to win 23-13.

In a match with just two tries, the Welsh side took the lead when Jack Walsh cut a swathe through the home defence before passing wide to Keelan Giles to score.

Ospreys had a lot of the early play but were left to rue turnovers at line out and scrums as Gloucester took the lead with Seb Blake touching down when his pack drove forwards from a lineout five metres from their opponents’ line.

Going into the second half just a point in front, Santiago Carreras kicked three penalties – making it six in all – to extend the lead to a comfortable margin, with the Cherry and Whites’ forwards dominating the closing stages.

Gloucester will now play either Benetton or Connacht at home in the semi-final in the first weekend of May, hoping to reach the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24.

Not long ago Gloucester’s season looked like being remembered for a club-record nine straight Premiership rugby games, but less than a month on from winning the Premiership Rugby Cup, they are two wins away from ending the year with a double triumph.

The great disappointment of the domestic league campaign which, despite recent wins, still has them adrift at second-bottom, only above winless Newcastle, seems to have been made up for if the reaction at The Shed is anything to go by.

Improvement is certainly needed and they will take a look at how better play in their backline could have seen them put a bigger distance between themselves and their Welsh opposition.

But being at home they will be favoured whoever they meet in the last four and will fancy themselves to win at Tottenham at the end of May.

Gloucester: Carreras 7, May 7, Llewellyn 6, Atkinson 6, Morris 6, Hastings 6, Varney 6; Ford-Robinson 6, Blake 7, Gotovtsev 6, Clarke 7, Thomas 7, Ackermann 8*, Ludlow 7, Mercer 7.

Substitutes: Vivas 6, Tuisue 6, Clement 7, Harris 7.

Ospreys: Walsh 7, Morgan 7, K Williams 6, Watkins 7, Giles 7, O Williams 7, Morgan-Williams 6; Thomas 6, Parry 6, Botha 6, Ratti 6, Beard 6, Deaves 7, Tipuric 6, Morris 6.

Substitutes: Lloyd 7, Smith 6, Henry 6, Sutton 6, Morse 6, Davies 6, Edwards 6, Nagy 6.

With the game in the balance in the second half it was the Gloucester backrow who dominated with Zach Mercer (getting off his sickbed to pay) was also a dominant force. Ackermann was a force with and without the ball – recording a game-leading 13 tackles – and his driving run should have put the game beyond doubt on the hour mark, had Mercer not grounded his pass.

14′TRY! GLOUCESTER 3-5 OSPREY (GILES) A poor kick sees Walsh gather and then scythe through the Gloucester defence and then throw wide to Giles to run in and touch down under the posts.

31′TRY! GLOUCESTER (BLAKE) 11-10 OSPREYS! No mistake this time as Blake touches down from a perfect line out take and patient drive.

59′ ACKERMANN TAKES GLOUCESTER WITHIN METRES OF LINE

But Mercer, who has played so well, grounds his pass and ruins the prospect of a walk-in try.

70′ OSPREYS CHANCE LOST! Morgan had two men outside him at the Gloucester 22 but looks inside and knocks on in the tackle.

72′ MORRIS DENIED CLOSE TO THE LINE! Carreras sets the winger free but Morgan puts him into touch a couple of metres from the line.

• 6 – Gloucester have won six straight matches in European competition this season.