New-look Gloucester made a storming start to the Premiership season as French
fly half Ludovic Mercier masterminded their comfortable Kingsholm victory.
Mercier, a summer signing from Aurillac, kicked 17 points - five penalties and
a conversion of number eight Junior Paramore's 39th minute try - which left
Northampton reeling.
Saints' British Lions trio of Tom Smith, Ben Cohen and Matt Dawson - England
scrum-half Dawson was a half-time substitute - all featured, but they could make
little headway against an impressive Gloucester outfit.
Gloucester started the week amid speculation of player unrest following Andy
Keast's sudden departure as assistant coach, yet ended it by producing a
convincing display.
Rugby director Philipe Saint-Andre had bolstered his squad during the summer
by recruiting several foreign imports, but that policy already appears to have
been justified.
Mercier took the scoring honours, but there will also hugely-influential
contributions from centre Christian Stoica, wing Diego Albanese, scrum-half
Dimitri Yachvili and prop Patrice Collazo.
While the Gloucester scrum creaked on times, their back division looked
particularly sharp, and Northampton were fortunate to restrict them to just one
touchdown.
Northampton offered little in attack, while they were relieved to see flanker
Andrew Blowers and full-back Nick Beal avoid yellow cards for deliberate offside
and a high tackle respectively.
Gloucester though, finished the match with 14 men after Paramore was
sin-binned following a high tackle on Blowers that saw the New Zealander depart
in a dazed state.
The early exchanges were full of mistakes in typical early season fashion, and
three penalties each from Mercier and his opposite number Paul Grayson meant it
was all square at 9-9 seven minutes before the break.
Gloucester though, immediately established a stranglehold on proceedings.
The left-footed Mercier rifled over a monster 50-metre penalty, then
Northampton's blindside defence was exposed as Paramore pounced.
Yachvili and prop Frederico Pucciariello combined magnificently and Paramore
darted through a huge gap to leave Northampton 10 points adrift at half-time.
Gloucester went for the kill during a frantic opening to the second period,
but when Blowers' blatantly stopped a flowing movement, Mercier landed the
resulting penalty.
That strike ended the scoring with more than 30 minutes remaining, and
although Dawson tried to spark urgency into the Saints, there was no way back
against a spirited and organised Gloucester side.
They can now look forward with confidence to visiting Saracens next Saturday,
plus Steele knows that Northampton will require a huge improvement for their
tough home game against Bath in seven days time.
Teams
Gloucester: Pucciarello, Fortey,
Collazo, Eustace, Fidler,
Boer, Hazell, Paramore, Yachvili, Mercier, Albanese, Stoica,
Ewens, O'Leary, Catling.
Replacements: Azam for Fortey (66), Woodman for Collazo (58),
Pearce for Eustace (76), M. Cornwell for Fidler (69).
Not Used: Gomarsall, Mannix, Simpson-Daniel.
Sin Bin: Paramore (74).
Tries: Paramore.
Cons: Mercier.
Pens: Mercier 5.
Northampton: Smith, Thompson, Stewart, Brouzet, Phillips,
Blowers, Pountney, Soden, Malone, Grayson, Cohen, Jorgensen,
Leslie, Moir, Beal.
Replacements: Brotherstone for Thompson (64),
Budgen for Stewart (64), Dawson for Malone (42),
Brooks for Beal (73).
Not Used: Newman, Hunter, Tucker.
Pens: Grayson 3.
Att: 8,682
Ref: Tony Spreadbury (RFU).
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