Tom Beim entered the Heineken Cup record books as Gloucester left Roma's
Kingsholm challenge in ruins.
The Gloucester wing established a new tournament best of five tries in one
match, his devastating scoring burst arriving during 38 second-half minutes.
And it meant that Gloucester comfortably preserved their 100% Heineken Cup
record to stay on course for the quarter-finals.
The pool five leaders ran Italian champions Roma ragged, scoring 38 points
after building a hard-earned 14-9 interval lead.
Beim fittingly had the final word, racing 80 metres for an interception try
deep into injury time that put him alone as the new record holder ahead of a
clutch of players all on four tries.
With scrum-half Elton Moncrieff kicking 16 points, and outstanding centre
Terry Fanolua slotting three late conversions, Roma's early industry and
impressive forward efforts ultimately produced nothing.
Gloucester's second successive Heineken Cup triumph kept them in control of
their group before facing back-to-back appointments with French club Colomiers
during the next fortnight.
Coach Philippe Saint-Andre chose to rest international trio Ian Jones, Junior
Paramore and Andy Gomarsall, yet Gloucester had more than enough in reserve
despite not hitting top gear until the closing stages.
Roma fly-half Andrea Scanavacca booted three penalties and a drop goal to keep
the brave visitors in touch, yet once Beim got a taste for their try line, there
was no stopping him or his team.
Australian World Cup winner Jason Little, again deputising at fly-half for the
injured Simon Mannix, displayed all his customary composure, providing some
wonderful touches as Gloucester grew in confidence.
Moncrieff was an assured half-back partner, while Fanolua was unluckily shaded
by Beim for man of the match honours.
Gloucester needed to rack up the tries and points against the pool five
whipping boys, and it is to their credit that they never lost concentration and
eventually hit the half-century.
Moncrieff and Scanavacca exchanged early kicks, and it took Gloucester 23
minutes to cross the Roma line.
Full-back Chris Catling reclaimed possession from his steepling kick into Roma
territory, and Fanolua's outside break enabled wing Franck Schisano to cross
wide out.
Gloucester began the second period in determined fashion, and after Moncrieff
had landed his fourth penalty, Fanolua again acted as the link-man, this time
Beim prospering.
With the game effectively won at 24-9 ahead, Saint-Andre sent on forward
substitutes Mark Cornwell and Andrew Hazell, although flanker Jake Boer looked
furious to have been taken off as he flung his scrum-cap to the ground in
disgust.
Gaps were now appearing in Roma's previously well-organised defence, and Beim
completed his hat-trick by the 68th minute.
He added another try eight minutes from time to equal a record jointly held,
among others, by Bath's Mike Catt and Swansea's Matthew Robinson, but there was
still time for him to wipe their names from the book.
Roma, desperately seeking a consolation try, laid siege to Gloucester's 22,
but a stray pass was collected by Beim who raced away accompanied by prolonged
cheering from a 5,000-strong Kingsholm crowd.
Teams
Gloucester: Catling, Schisano, Fanolua,
Yates, Beim, Little,
Moncrieff, Powles, Azam, Vickery, Fidler, Eustace, Boer,
K. Jones, Ojomoh.
Not Used: Gomarsall, Greenslade-Jones, Sanchez, Cox, Hazell,
Cornwell, Pearce.
Tries: Schisano, Beim 5.
Cons: Moncrieff 2, Fanolua 3.
Pens: Moncrieff 4.
Roma: Deanglefif, Keyter, G. Raineri, G. Raineri, Zisti,
Roselli, Scannavacca, L. Mazzi, Lo Cicero, Murrazzani,
Martinez, Farner, Gross, Virgilio, Caione.
Not Used: Martin, De Luca, Castellani, Bencetti, Pez, Camardon,
di Luia, Corona.
Pens: Scannavacca 3.
Drop Goals: Scannavacca.
Att: 4,926
Ref: Paul Adams (Welsh RFU).
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