Gloucester ensured they finished in top spot in the Zurich Premiership with
this four-try victory over Harlequins.
The London side succumbed to Gloucester's greater pace and determination, but
the Cherry and Whites made a slow start at Kingsholm.
Quins had the best scoring chance early on with a right-wing dash which
Gloucester only just managed to halt.
Henry Paul's jinking runs started to cause Quins problems and it was the
centre who got the first try, his clever footwork opening up the defence with
Ludovic Mercier converting.
Gloucester's second try stemmed from a right-wing dash by full-back Thinus
Delport. He was held up in the corner but Gloucester quickly switched play left
through five pairs of hands before Jake Boer crossed the line, with Mercier
again converting.
Thereafter Gloucester had a period when they could not get things right for
referee Steve Lander and they foolishly put pressure on themselves through a
series of penalties.
This suited Paul Burke, the Quins kicker, and he put the first two over to
give Quins a chance but saw his third bounce off the post.
Two tries inside two minutes 10 minutes of the second half sealed the title
for Gloucester.
The first came from a passing error by Quins centre Will Greenwood and the
ball was intercepted by Gloucester's flying winger James Simpson-Daniel for a
gift try under the posts.
Mercier converted but he was off-target with his next kick after he had scored
himself by breaking the Quins defence with a clever chip through which he
followed up to score.
With a vital bonus point now in the bag Gloucester tended to ease off and had
to defend against sustained Quins pressure.
Winger Ben Gollings appeared certain to score only to be brought back by
referee Lander for a Quins penalty. Full-back Nathan Williams was held out in
the corner and Roy Winters stepped into touch when clear to score.
Thereafter Gloucester took a firmer grip but were surprised by a snap Quins
breakout with prop Tani Fuga backing up well for a try but Burke missed the
conversion.
With both sides making changes Trevor Woodman and Terry Fanolua were just
denied further tries and Henry Paul finished off with a penalty.
Gloucester ended to a rousing reception, blemished only by a leg injury to
their ace kicker Mercier, who was stretchered off 10 minutes from the end.
Teams:
Gloucester: Woodman, Azam, Deacon, Eustace, Cornwell, Boer,
Hazell, Paramore, Gomarsall, Mercier, Simpson-Daniel, Paul,
Fanolua, Garvey, Delport.
Replacements: Stuart-Smith, Amor, Todd, Fortey, Roncero, Buxton,
Pearce.
Tries: Paul, Boer, Simpson-Daniel, Mercier.
Cons: Mercier 3.
Pens: Paul.
Harlequins: Jones, Fuga, Leonard, Davison, Miall, Tiatia, Vos,
Diprose, Fulton, Burke, Gollings, Deane, Greenwood, Luger,
N. Williams.
Replacements: Winters, Dawson, Ludski, Sheriff, Bemand, Satala,
Jewell.
Tries: Fuga.
Pens: Burke 2.
Att: 11,000
Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).
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