Pack power sees Gloucester to a convincing win
GLOUCESTER Rugby had to battle hard before they pulled away to overcome Italian side Benetton 54-25 to put them back on track in the European Challenge Cup.
George Skivington’s men showed flashes of their quality, and first half tries from Jack Singleton, Ben Meehan and Jordy Reid put them in front, before they were pegged back by two tries right on half-time from South African Rhyno Smith and former Hartpury back row Sebastian Negri.
Freddie Clarke’s industrious man of the match performance helped keep the Italian’s at bay, before his secondrow partner Matias Alemanno secured Gloucester’s bonus point try before the hour mark.
A penalty try and scores from Stephen Varney, Jonny May and Jack Clement sealed the victory - but it was the visitors who started the better of the two sides.
It took an excellent turnover from prop Val Rapava Ruskin to halt their progress as they battered at the tryline.
In spite of this, Treviso didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard, courtesy of a booming 56-metre penalty that was landed by fly-half Rhyno Smith to give them a 3-0 lead inside 10 minutes.
After making 14 changes on the back of last week’s narrow loss away in Lyon, Gloucester struggled to get into a rhythm, going 6-0 down after conceding a second penalty, comfortably converted by Smith.
As has been the case so often this season, it was Gloucester’s superb setpiece that got them a foothold in the game - their outstanding driving maul proving ever-reliable as hooker Jack Singleton rumbled over from shortrange.
This sprung Gloucester into life, and Kingsholm was soon brought to its feet after a brilliant strike move from the base of a scrum saw Ben Meehan release Louis Rees-zammit down the right flank.
His chip and chase was tapped back by Chris Harris before being gathered by the onrushing Meehan who finished a fantastic score to give Gloucester a 12-6 lead.
The fans were soon on their feet again. Benetton were reduced to 14-men when skipper Michele Lamaro was penalised for a tackle off the ball, flanker Jordy Reid was this time the beneficiary of another unstoppable driving maul that powered across the line for Gloucester’s third try of the night on the half-hour mark.
Skivington’s men were not out of sight for long however.
Smith pounced on a loose ball from an overthrown line-out, to round and outpace three Gloucester defenders including Rees-zammit - to finish a superb long-range solo effort in the corner, before adding a pinpoint touchline conversion to reduce the deficit to six points.
Gloucester’s poor end to the half continued as Benetton clawed to within a point at 19-18 on the stroke of half-time when Negri drove over from close range after a series of pick and go’s.
May wasted no time making an impact in the second half, finishing acrobatically in the corner before having his score chalked off after straying into touch.
But the Cherry and Whites secured their bonus-point try seconds later however, when Alemanno was the beneficiary of a scrappy Benetton line-out, to muscle his way over the line and take Gloucester into an eight-point lead.
Things went from bad to worse for the Italians when referee Craig Evans awarded Gloucester a penalty try and Benetton replacement Niccolo Cannone was shown yellow for collapsing a driving maul that was destined for the line.
With the one-man advantage, the hosts then began to stretch their opponents. Italian international Varney was next to score after a sublime piece of interplay with the impressive Reid.
The resilient Italians hit back soon after with a seven-point score of their own after Luca Morisi burst onto a short pass to race over to give his side a glimmer of hope with quarter of an hour to play.
But the 22-point buffer was soon regained by the hosts when May finished expertly in the corner for his side’s seventh score of the evening.
Replacement Jack Clement took the Gloucester total beyond 50 points when he rose last with the ball after another dominant driving maul.
The win gives George Skivington’s men a big boost heading into their next game, away at Bath on Boxing Day in the Gallagher Premiership while also moving them into second in Pool B.