Derby day defeat Half-time lead is lost by Gloucester
GLOUCESTER suffered a ninth successive Premiership defeat their worst run of league results in the competition’s history - after seeing a 10-5 half-time lead slip to a 17-10 loss to bitter rivals Bath at the Recreation Ground.
Full-back Tom de Glanville scored two tries as he struck in each half, while there was also a touchdown for wing Will Muir, with fly-half Finn Russell adding one conversion.
Gloucester had led 10-5 at half-time following a Ruan Ackermann try, plus a conversion and penalty from fly-half Adam Hastings, but a losing bonuspoint will provide scant consolation, especially as they finished the game strongly and caused Bath plenty of problems.
“I think if we had played liked that all season, we would be in a different part of the table,” Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington said.
“I am pretty pleased with what I saw. I know we didn’t win the game, and probably a draw would have been a fair result.
“I haven’t got too many complaints. The boys’ attitude was outstanding.
When we stuck to the plan, we looked good.
“We are playing good rugby. That is a one-score game against a full-strength Bath who are playing extremely well.
“There is context around everything. My job is to keep doing what I am doing. There is no-one not working hard.”
Gloucester were ahead after seven minutes following a quickly-taken penalty by their forwards that resulted in Ackermann claiming the touchdown and Hastings converting.
The visitors, 16 points behind Bath in the Premiership before kick-off, did not lack confidence, and wing Jonny May sparked a flowing move that was only halted when Ackermann’s pass drifted forward.
Bath’s first threat of the game followed a knock-on by Gloucester fullback Santiago Carreras, with hooker Tom Dunn being stopped just short of the line.
Wing Joe Cokanasiga then had a chance, but he spilled possession within sight of Gloucester’s line, yet Bath finally broke through nine minutes before the interval.
Centre Ollie Lawrence made initial headway before a brilliant De Glanville pass freed Muir, who then fed the ball inside to his full-back for an outstanding try.
Russell could not convert, and Gloucester ended the half with a fivepoint lead when Hastings landed a 40-metre penalty, leaving their hosts with plenty to think about.
But Bath needed just 57 seconds of the second period to go ahead as Muir marked his 50th game for the club through an opportunist try.
He had limited space to work in, but when covering Gloucester scrum-half Caolan Englefield failed to clear, Muir gathered a kind bounce and crossed unopposed, with Russell’s conversion putting Bath ahead for the first time.
They looked to have extended their advantage shortly afterwards, but after referee Christophe Ridley initially awarded a try for flanker GJ van Velze, it was then ruled out for unclear grounding.
Gloucester’s cause was not helped by Carreras being yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on, yet outstanding defence continued to thwart Bath entering the final quarter.
Bath, though, broke through following a flowing move that saw centre Lawrence find De Glanville, and he cut back inside to finish in style, giving the full-back his second try.
Gloucester laid siege inside Bath’s 22 during the closing minutes as they tried to salvage a draw, but a handling error cost them dear and the home side moved back upfield, the victory secured.
Bath: de Glanville; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, Muir; Russell, Spencer; Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Stooke, Ewels, van Velze, Reid, Coetzee. Replacements: Annett, du Toit, Griffin, Roux, Barbeary, Carr-smith, Harris, Cloete. Gloucester: Carreras; May, Harris, S. Atkinson, Thorley; Hastings, Englefield; Vivas, Mcguigan, Gotovtsev, Clarke, Alemanno, Ackermann, Ludlow, Mercer. Replacements: Blake, Fordrobinson, Balmain, Jordan, Clement, Varney, Llewellyn, Evans.