Saracens up next for Gloucester as they sink Saints
There was some really good bits. There was some good continuity, some boys in the right places
GLOUCESTER booked a European Challenge Cup quarterfinal showdown with Saracens with a 31-21 victory over Premiership rivals Northampton Saints at Kingsholm on Saturday night.
The Cherry and Whites showcased some impressive attack, with one of their strongest ball-in-hand performances of the season to advance.
Tries from Ollie Thorley, Val Rapavaruskin, Matias Alemanno and Santiago Socino saw the home side overcome their stubborn visitors in a game littered with questionable refereeing decisions.
Saints scored through number eight Juarno Augustus, centre Rory Hutchinson and Mike Haywood while both sides lost a man to a red card, with Northampton fly-half Dan Biggar dismissed in the 54th minute for a high tackle and Gloucester lock Alex Craig was given his marching orders in the 79th minute for a swinging arm tackle.
The Cherry and Whites now host Saracens at Kingsholm on the weekend of May 6-8, after they beat Cardiff 40-33 at the Stonex Stadium.
“I think we did some good stuff tonight, we’ve challenged the boys in a different kind of way. I was pretty honest last week about where we know we’ve got to push the game on, and we made a couple of adjustments and the boys looked good,” said head coach George Skivington.
“We lost control for a little bit, let Saints back into the game but we’re building, it’s continuous work but there was some real good stuff and some real bad stuff.”
“There was some really good bits. There was some good continuity, some boys in the right places.”
“Ollie Thorley scored an outstanding try to get the game going so there was lots of positives.”
“Just before half-time we lost our way a bit, and Saints are a good side, they
George Skivington
scored two tries and all of a sudden the scoreline’s not so pretty.”
Saracens were pushed all the way, by Cardiff, but held out to secure the win.
Owen Farrell kicked three penalties to put Saracens 9-6 ahead, with Rhys Priestland sending over two in reply.
Dom Morris breached the Cardiff defence for the first try four minutes before the break and Farrell’s conversion gave Saracens a 10-point cushion.
But the Welsh side hit back on the stroke of half-time through Tomos Williams’ try and Priestland converted to reduce the deficit to 16-13 at the break.
Williams was then the chief architect for Owen Lane’s try in the 48th minute that saw them go ahead for the first time and Priestland added the extras to give them a 20-16 advantage.
But Saracens rallied and a pair of tries from Sean Maitland and scores from Aled Davies and Max Malins saw them move into a comfortable lead.
Farrell added two conversions to put Saracens 40-26 up with 12 minutes remaining, with Priestland having kicked two more penalties.
But Cardiff kept battling and Rhys Carre burrowed over one with Jarrod Evans adding the conversion, but Sarries held on to secure their meeting with the Cherry and Whites. Gloucester: Carreras; Rees-zammit, Harris, Atkinson, Thorley; Hastings, Chapman; Rapava Ruskin, Socino, Balmain, Clarke, Alemanno, Reid, Ludlow, Ackermann. Replacements: Singleton, Elrington, Ford-robinson, Craig, B Morgan, Meehan, Twelvetrees, Seabrook. Northampton: Furbank; Freeman, Proctor, Hutchinson, Collins; Biggar, Mitchell, Waller, S Matavesi, Hill, Ribbans Ratuniyarawa, Lawes, Ludlam, Augustus. Replacements: Haywood, Hobbs-awoyemi, Carey, Coles, Harrison James, Francis, Nansen.