Sharples bounces back to take Gloucester top
CHARLIE SHARPLES was carried off with a sickening headknock last Saturday against Bath — but he was back to score twice here and put Gloucester top of the table. Bristol led after a manic first half, but the turning point came when 38-year-old Australian legend George Smith received his second card in two weeks, this time yellow. He cost the Bears dearly. Smith was sin-binned 50 minutes in, after Gerbrant Grobler had scored at the start of the second half. And while he was off, Gloucester scored two more through Sharples (below). When Ed Slater bundled over with 16 minutes left, the home side had the bonus point. Billy Twelvetrees added a penalty and Matt Banahan scored late to bring 32 unanswered points and the win. Bristol led at half time as Irish fly-half Ian Madigan kicked through to All Black Steven Luatua on the right and he offloaded to Luke Morahan who sped in. Madigan kicked a penalty as well as the conversion, but Gloucester should have been ahead at the break. They turned down three shots at goal but failed to score. Grobler then crashed over and Twelvetrees converted to add to his penalty. Then Smith was shown yellow for a cynical, in-at-the-side penalty on his line, straight after Sharples had been set up to score by Danny Cipriani for his third assist in three games. Five minutes later Sharples was over on the blind side for his second try, so Bristol were down to 14 and behind by nine. Slater then took his try, Twelvetrees a penalty — Smith conceding his sixth of the night — and with Banahan over at the death, that was that.