French fly-half Ludovic Mercier scored 23 points as Gloucester edged nearer to
the Heineken Cup quarter-finals by preserving their 100% record in Pool Two.
Wing Marcel Garvey weighed in with two tries, and has scored four in three
European games this season, but Gloucester will require a significant
improvement when they visit Perpignan in next Saturday's return fixture.
The Zurich Premiership leaders only played in patches, and much of the
attacking adventure came from the French club, who were well orchestrated by
their Australian fly-half Manuel Edmonds.
Although a Gloucester defeat was never seriously on the cards, Phil Vickery's
team are not playing with the same degree of control or fluency they displayed
when the Heineken Cup kicked off in September.
Gloucester began their European campaign with sparkling victories over Munster
and Viadana, and next weekend's trip to the south of France could well dictate
the final outcome of their qualifying group.
Despite Garvey grabbing the second-half honours with his try double, it was
Mercier who kept Perpignan at a safe distance.
After kicking penalties in the seventh and 14th minutes, he ghosted through
Perpignan's defence for a fine try which he also converted after visiting prop
Renaud Peillard had been sin-binned by Welsh referee Nigel Williams for a
scrummaging offence.
Williams, who awarded 38 penalties or free-kicks in total, kept a tight grip
on proceedings, and the first half ended with Edmonds and Mercier exchanging
penalties.
Perpignan came out firing for the second period, and Gloucester only just
prevented them from scoring a try after Canadian number eight Phil Murphy caught
the kick-off and galloped 50 metres through some weak tackling.
Edmonds booted two more penalties before Mercier once again found the target,
but Gloucester's 19-9 lead was unconvincing entering the final quarter.
That though, was the cue for proven finisher Garvey to leave his mark on the
match.
His first try came after 61 minutes when he rounded off an outstanding forward
drive by collecting scrum-half Andy Gomarsall's pass, but the second score was
pure genius.
He received the ball 30 metres out, and weaved his way through the Perpignan
defence as if by magic.
Mercier added the conversion, but Perpignan had already claimed a deserved
consolation score by second-row forward Rimas Alvarez-Kairelis.
In the end, the scoreboard suggested a comfortable Gloucester win, but it
promises to be a completely different story next Saturday when Perpignan will
fancy their chances in front of vociferous crowd.
Teams
Gloucester: Paul, Garvey, Fanolua, Todd, Delport, Mercier,
Gomarsall, Roncero, Azam, Vickery, Pearce, Eustace, Buxton,
Forrester, Paramore.
Replacements: Stuart-Smith, Catling, Beim, Hazell, Deacon, Irish,
Cornwell.
Tries: Mercier, Garvey 2.
Cons: Mercier 3.
Pens: Mercier 4.
Perpignan: Souverbie, Bomati, Giordani, Couttet, Manas,
Edmonds, Loustau, Peillard, Koniekiewicz, Mas,,
Alvarez Kairelis, Daniell, Le Corvec, Goutta, Murphy.
Replacements: Rofes, De Besombes, Porcu, Mallier, Basset, Bellot,
Marty.
Tries: Alvarez Kairelis.
Cons: Edmonds.
Pens: Edmonds 3.
Att: 10,201
Ref: Nigel Williams (Wales).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook