Gloucester underlined that Kingsholm will once again be their fortress this
season with an impressive win over last season's league runners up.
Victory means Gloucester have now won two games out of two so far, proving
they are going to be real title contenders.
Initially however it did not look like it was going to be Gloucester's day
with Mark Cueto silencing the normally vocal Gloucester Shed with a third-minute
try.
The winger was on the end of an impressive team effort from the Sharks which
started from a line-out with Charlie Hodgson passing out wide to Tom Beim and
Jason Robinson before Cueto scored on the right wing.
Hodgson was not having a good day with the boot though and was clearly rattled
by the home crowd. The England international missed the conversion as well as a
penalty minutes later.
Fly-half Ludovic Mercier finally broke Gloucester's duck after 15 minutes to
convert two penalties while the home side then went on to test the Sharks
defence.
The visitors had looked like they had done enough to keep the lead at the
break with a further penalty and an aggressive defence, but with three minutes
into injury time gone Gloucester's determination pulled them through, Henry Paul
scoring.
That first try proved to be decisive for Gloucester with the west country
outfit scoring three tries in the space of just 10 minutes.
Up-and-coming youngster James Forrester scored the second try then set up the
next, making a magnificent break through the midfield to leave the Sharks in
their wake.
England's Robinson finally caught up with him, but Gloucester kept the
momentum going and Beim finally muscled his way over the line.
Mercier converted before summer signing Thinus Delport scored his first league
try to give Gloucester a comfortable 22-point cushion.
Flanker Jake Boer and Forrester then added two further tries to round off an
impressive first home game of the season.
Teams:
Gloucester: Paul, Delport, Fanolua, Todd, Beim, Mercier,
Gomarsall, Woodman, Azam, Vickery, Pearce, Cornwell, Boer,
Hazell, Paramore.
Not Used: Stuart-Smith, Garvey, Simpson-Daniel, Collazo,
Fortey, Forrester, Fidler.
Tries: Paul, Forrester 2, Beim, Delport, Boer.
Cons: Mercier 4.
Pens: Mercier 2.
Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Baxendell, Deane, Hanley, Hodgson,
Redpath, Yates, Marais, Stewart, C. Jones, Schofield,
A. Sanderson, Pinkerton, Anglesea.
Not Used: Titterrell, Thorp, Lines, Perelini, Harris, Going,
Walshe.
Tries: Cueto.
Pens: Hodgson.
Att: 9,544
Ref: Dave Pearson (RFU).
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