Skivington happy to exact revenge for last-gasp loss
GLOUCESTER head coach George Skivington was glad to exact revenge for last season’s last-gasp defeat to Bath as his side ran in six tries in a record 40-20 result at the Rec.
The visitors were too experienced and well organised to suffer more than the occasional discomfort.
And Skivington said: “We wanted to come here and put that right. It’s a West Country derby and it’s the big one for the supporters. We respect that, but we’re just working really hard to get better, every week.”
Skivington was pleased to have flanker Jordy Reid back and firing on all cylinders in a man-of-the-match performance. He said: “Jordy missed the start of the season and we hadn’t seen him for a couple of months. He loves the club and works unbelievably hard. He’s a proper warrior is Jordy.”
But Skivington pointed out that there were other players in the Gloucester squad who were keeping Reid and others very much on their toes.
His side also proved that they could dominate opposition forwards in addition to showing a clean pair of heels outside through the talent of Louis Rees-zammit and centre Chris Harris, who scored two tries.
Skivington added: “We have been building variety around our game for about 18 months and we are seeing the benefits now.”
Gloucester had to make two late changes after Jonny May was ruled out (calf) and replaced by Ollie Thorley on the wing, while Santiago Carreras (illness) also missed out and was replaced by Kyle Moyle on the bench.
After a bout of box-kicking to open proceedings, fly-half Orlando Bailey put Bath ahead with a long-range penalty and Adam Hastings missed from a similar distance at the other end, but things went downhill for the home team from there.
England’s flanker Sam Underhill, once of Sir Thomas Rich’s School and Gloucester, went off for a head injury assessment after 11 minutes, never to return, and Gloucester set about dominating the Bath pack.
The visitors should have scored when Mark Atkinson was held up over the line shortly afterwards, but scrumhalf Ben Meehan sent a looping pass into the arms of opposite number Ben Spencer, who was able to clear upfield.
At the other end, hooker Tom Dunn spoiled a promising catch-and-drive by passing a ball behind Spencer’s ear.
A free-kick from the resulting scrum and two penalties in quick succession set Gloucester up at the other end and Bath’s dogged defence earned a goalline drop-out. But the penalty count was punishing.
A yellow card for flanker Tom Ellis in the 19th minute ramped up the pressure on the home defence and there was an inevitable penalty try from the next catch-and-drive. It came with a second yellow card for prop Lewis Boyce as Bath trailed 7-3.
Bailey replied with another penalty but Bath’s indiscipline and defensive frailties were cruelly exposed as Scotland centre Chris Harris first finished off good work by Thorley and Meehan.
Then number eight Ruan Ackermann profited from another expertly delivered line-out drive, and Harris added the bonus point after Louis Rees-zammit deftly volleyed a loose ball into his grasp. Hastings converted two of the three to give Gloucester a 26-6 lead at the break.
Bath did muster a reaction after halftime, inspired by Will Stuart’s aggressive ball carrying and forceful running outside the scrum by Max Ojomoh and Semesa Rokoduguni. Spencer gave them hope with a 51st minute try from a tap-and-go under the posts, with Bailey adding the conversion.
But the visitors eventually got back on the front foot after replacement scrum-half Charlie Chapman snaffled the ball at a scrum on halfway and chipped down the touchline.
Bailey had to concede a line-out and the Gloucester forwards did the rest, with Fraser Balmain being awarded the 66th minute try and Hastings adding the conversion to take them 20 points clear.
Hastings’ chip and an inside pass from Thorley presented the sixth try to replacement wing Moyle and the flyhalf converted from near touch to complete the rout, even if Bath conjured a last-minute breakaway try by Ollie Fox, which was converted by Bailey.