Cherries crushed by Lacroix try double

LA ROCHELLE overpowered Gloucester to gain a revenge win and move level at the top of Pool one.

Gabriel Lacroix crossed for a brace to add to scores from Kini Murimurivalu, Hikairo Forbes and Botia Veivuke, before wrapping it up with a late penalty try.

Gloucester got back in it through John Afoa after half-time, but the giant La Rochelle pack laid the foundations to send the French side back to the summit of the pool with two to play.

Billy Burns fired Gloucester in-front after only two minutes with a penalty after a powerful scrum, but Brock James levelled three minutes later.

The home side turned up the heat at another set-piece to shunt Gloucester back and earn a second penalty, and James made no mistake from the tee.

It got even worse for the Cherry and Whites when La Rochelle wing Lacroix beat James Hook to squeeze in for a try at the corner for an 11-3 advantage.

Burns pulled Gloucester back to within five points with a penalty, but the hosts showed their clinical streak when full-back Murimurivalu cut a devastating angle to score a second try. James converted, before the French side shunted Forbes over the line from close range.

Gloucester got back in it after the break when Afoa crashed over before Matt Scott was shown yellow for a loose boot at a ruck. Lacroix made them pay when he scooped up a James cross-kick to score the bonus point try.

The game was wrapped up when Botia latched onto an Murimurivalu offload, before a penalty try finished the job for La Rochelle.