The absence of an array of star names for Gloucester and Wasps was on show for
all to see at Kingsholm as a 13,000 capacity crowd witnessed a brutal but
stop-start Zurich Premiership encounter.
Gloucester were missing eight players in all and the absence of Henry Paul and
Duncan McRae through international duty and injury took its toll.
McRae's replacement, Brad Davies, was strong in the tackle but the 21-year-old
struggled with his kicking costing Gloucester two vital first-half penalties.
For Wasps, they may have had England's' World Cup winners Lawrence Dallaglio
and Matt Dawson - an unusual privilege ahead of an England international - but
the London side uncharacteristically failed to string together any form of
stinging attack in the first half.
Wasps also had their chances between the posts but young winger Edd Thrower,
taking over kicking duties from the injured Alex King, also missed the target to
leave both sides without any points before the break.
But it was Wasps who finally emerged dominant after the restart with Mark Van
Gisbergen setting up a more confident looking Wasps attack.
The full-back offloaded to James Brooks, before Peter Richards set up Simon
Shaw - who carried the ball over the line.
Van Gisbergen converted though Gloucester soon added some points of their own
with England's Sevens captain Simon Amor steadying the ship with a much needed
penalty.
But Wasps' winger Ayoola Erinle soon made a mockery of the home side's defence
with a magical break which saw him sidestep three players to touch down.
Van Gisbergen again converted but the score clearly rattled the Kingsholm
outfit's cage.
Gloucester, making the most of 14-man Wasps after Trevor Leota's yellow card,
wore down Wasps' defence and powerhouse Adam Balding finally sneaked out of a
ruck to score.
Amor converted but the two penalties from Van Gisbergen looked to have put
Wasps out of reach.
A Thrower injury-time try confirmed Gloucester's fate and ended their 12-month
unbeaten record at home in the league - despite an 84th-minute last-gasp Amor
try.
Teams
Gloucester: Goodridge, Garvey, Mauger, Fanolua, Bailey, Davies,
Page, Bezuidenhout, Fortey, Vickery, Eustace, Cornwell, Buxton,
Boer, Balding.
Replacements: Amor for Davies (47), Powell for Vickery (40),
Forrester for Buxton (51).
Not Used: Parkes, Narraway, Kiole, Teague.
Tries: Balding, Amor.
Cons: Amor 2.
Pens: Amor.
Wasps: van Gisbergen, Thrower, Richards, Erinle, Voyce, Brooks,
Dawson, Dowd, Greening, Payne, Shaw, Birkett, Hart, Rees,
Dallaglio.
Replacements: Leota for Greening (53), Green for Payne (53).
Not Used: Lock, Haskell, Biljon, Priscott, Hoadley.
Tries: Shaw, Erinle, Thrower.
Cons: van Gisbergen 3.
Pens: van Gisbergen 2.
Sin Bin: Leota (57).
Att: 13,000
Ref: Steve Lander (Cheshire).
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