Premiership leaders Gloucester reached their first English cup final for 13 years after sending European champions Leicester packing in a thrilling semi-final clash at Franklin's Gardens.

Two second-half tries in three minutes by wing Marcel Garvey and full-back Thinus Delport destroyed Leicester's Powergen Cup hopes after they led 6-3 at the break.

Gloucester fly-half Ludovic Mercier missed both conversions, but although Leicester flanker Josh Kronfeld scored a 77th-minute try amid fierce Tigers pressure, the Cherry and Whites held out.

The victory keeps Gloucester on course for a league and cup double, but Leicester, despite their dominance of Premiership and Heineken Cup rugby, still have not been to Twickenham in a domestic final since 1997.

Gloucester will meet holders London Irish or Northampton - who clash at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium tomorrow - in the April 5 final.

Today's achievement should also lift some of the gloom surrounding Gloucester, given the well-chronicled financial troubles experienced by club owner Tom Walkinshaw.

European champions Leicester, who last won English rugby's major knockout trophy six years ago, went into battle without injured stars Neil Back, Lewis Moody and Austin Healey, but skipper Martin Johnson overcame a midweek hamstring scare and led Tigers out.

Gloucester lost both first-choice centres - Terry Fanolua (injured) and Robert Todd (suspended) - so England wing James Simpson-Daniel and rugby league recruit Henry Paul featured in midfield together for the first time.

Kick-off was slightly delayed due to a fire alarm alert that sparked initial messages of stadium evacuation, but the game eventually got underway three minutes late.

Franklin's Gardens was nowhere near full to its 12,500 capacity, though, Gloucester having returned almost 2,500 of their 5,000 allocation, and Leicester 500.

Leicester made the early running, and went ahead after three minutes through a Tim Stimpson penalty when Mercier high-tackled Tigers centre Ollie Smith.

Referee Steve Lander made his presence felt by awarding several penalties inside the opening 15 minutes, and there was little pattern on the game, given its stop-start nature.

Gloucester threatened in spurts, full-back Thinus Delport almost smashing through Tigers' last line of defence, but handling errors from both sides proved a consistent frustration.

Paul was a midfield menace, always looking to make in-roads, and it took some superb defensive work from Smith before Leicester could snuff out a dangerous 17th-minute Gloucester attack.

Cherry and Whites' lock Rob Fidler left the action with an injury as a frantic opening quarter reached its conclusion - Adam Eustace replaced him - but there was no let-up in terms of Gloucester pressure.

Leicester were showing signs of cracking, and flanker Josh Kronfeld remarkably avoided a yellow card after blatantly killing Gloucester ball 15m out. Mercier landed the resulting penalty, but Kronfeld stayed on.

Mercier missed a 32nd-minute penalty chance to edge Gloucester ahead after Lander spotted a stamp by Tigers scrum-half Jamie Hamilton on Simpson-Daniel, yet the referee again chose to warn Johnson in his capacity as Leicester leader, instead of taking the sin-bin option.

Fly-half Sam Vesty offered a creative spark for Leicester, running incisively - and bravely - from deep, and Stimpson was narrowly wide with a monster 60m penalty strike in first-half injury time.

He found the target from 38 metres just a minute later though, and Leicester trooped off at half-time, 6-3 ahead.

Gloucester's England prop Trevor Woodman appeared for the second period - his first run-out since being injured during national squad training last November - and after a spell of Tigers pressure was absorbed, the Cherry and Whites cut loose.

They devastated Leicester through two scintillating tries, and the Tigers had no answer.

Delport's telling 55th-minute thrust saw him smash through several Leicester defenders, and his brilliant reverse pass gave Garvey all the space he needed as he weaved his way over the Tigers' line.

Just three minutes later, Gloucester struck again, stealing Leicester line-out ball just five metres out, spinning possession wide, and man-of-the-match Delport crossed on the overlap.

Mercier could not land either touchline conversion, but although Kronfeld scored late on - Stimpson missed the conversion - Gloucester weren't to be denied, sending their travelling army of fans wild.

Teams:

Leicester: Stimpson, Murphy, Smith, Kafer, Lloyd, Vesty, J. Hamilton, Rowntree, West, Garforth, M. Johnson, Kay, Corry, Kronfeld, Balding.

Replacements: Chuter, Skinner, W. Johnson, Freshwater, Booth, Tierney, Tuilagi.

Tries: Kronfeld.

Pens: Stimpson 2.

Gloucester: Delport, Garvey, Simpson-Daniel, Paul, Beim, Mercier, Gomarsall, Roncero, Azam, Deacon, Fidler, Cornwell, Boer, Hazell, Forrester.

Replacements: Stuart-Smith, Amor, Catling, Fortey, Woodman, Eustace, Paramore.

Tries: Garvey, Delport.

Pens: Mercier 2.

Att: 8,000

Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).