Large at double to deny Waterloo first win
Glos-H’pury .... 29 F Waterloo ...... 22
GLOUCESTER-Hartpury left it late before finally ending a spirited challenge from Firwood Waterloo to seal victory at the Gillmans Ground.
It took two tries in the final six minutes, both from influential fly-half Ceri Large, to deny the visitors a memorable first victory and spare the blushes of Susie Appleby’s side.
An upset looked on the cards when Waterloo led 19-5 at half-time but a determined fightback from the hosts meant that the visitors had only a losing bonus point to show for their efforts.
The win keeps Gloucester-Hartpury in the top four after eight rounds of action and keeps alive their chances of making the play-offs.
Waterloo certainly started well, belying the respective positions in the table and scored two tries in the opening 14 minutes from Claire Hutchinson as the Waterloo pack opened up a 0-12 lead and shocked the home crowd.
Centre Rachel Lund crossed to get GloucesterHartpury up and running, but the visitors struck again through Chloe Garner to take a 5-19 lead into the half-time break.
Lund crossed for her second try at the start of the second half which was quickly followed by a score from wing Ellie Underwood.
Gloucester-Hartpury were back within two points but a Waterloo penalty made it 17-22.
The visitors then defended stoutly and it looked as though they were about to hang on until Large’s late pair of scores broke their stubborn resistance and saw Gloucester-Hartpury sneak the win.