THE CHERRY AND WHITES’ interest in this season’s Heineken Cup all but disappeared in the mud at Kingsholm as they failed to score a try against a fourteen man Cardiff side who had lost Tom James early on for a head-butt on Ollie Azam.
Cardiff had one try disallowed but scored a good late try, as all Gloucester could manage in reply were 12 points from the boot of Olly Barkley.
Gloucester’s over-reliance on their predictable favoured kicking tactics, poorly executed, achieved little or nothing and posed no problems at all for the Cardiff back three who accepted the seemingly endless ill-directed kicks downfield with ease.
Heavy conditions underfoot were not conducive to open running rugby but the hosts seldom looked like creating a try - the benefit of having the extra man yielded nothing other than wrong options and missed opportunities.
Gloucester’s game management was poor, especially in the second half where the abysmal play of replacement scrum half Dave Lewis and Ryan Lamb left a lot to be desired.
Whether their play was limited by their coaches' instructions is unknown but their execution was below par by any standard.
Gloucester won more than their fair share of line-out ball but had nothing to show for their efforts and superiority as the current back row’s capabilities seem confined to strong defensive efforts with little evidence of attacking flair on show at present.
How much of this is down to players having to follow a pre-determined game-plan is not clear but what is clear is the fact that after six months of the current season, the tactical kicking game adopted is questionable.
No one expects that the ball should be thrown about at all times, especially in adverse conditions but at the moment there appears to be no room for flair or enterprise, only disciplined safety-first negativity.
Ollie Azam had another storming game and has been the outstanding forward over the last month but behind the scrum injuries have not helped but there is no fluency, enterprise or flair, a situation underlined by the fact that Iain Balshaw and James Simpson–Daniel hardly touched the ball throughout the match.
Olly Barkley got the home side off to the best possible start by kicking a long-range penalty from within his own half and ensured Gloucester kept their noses in front whereas Leigh Halfpenny missed out on a couple of chances—if he had kicked his goals Cardiff’s win would have been more clear-cut.
It was clear at half-time that whoever got a try would probably win the match and so it turned out as Cardiff seemed not to suffer from being a man down and Gloucester were increasingly unable to exert any authority.
The visitors looked to have scored but the try was not given by the officials after consulting with the video match official.
Gloucester huffed and puffed, created overlaps but nothing more, as further scores were not forthcoming until a Barkley penalty edged the hosts 12-6 in front going into the last quarter.
However the closing stages belonged to Cardiff as they got a penalty and the all important try followed after a poor clearance kick from Gloucester to wrap up a well deserved victory.
Disappointment for Gloucester but the best side won.
Cardiff's physical commitment was such that they rarely looked to be a man short and they out-muscled the home side when and where it mattered.
Gloucester are a bit like the new C&G pillared stand, good but not quite top class.
A mathematical chance of qualification for the quarter finals still exists but realistically that is only a slim chance, depending as much on other results as on the result of Gloucester’s trip to Biarritz.
Whether the availability of Mike Tindall and Olly Morgan would have made any difference is a matter of conjecture, what is for sure is the fact that once again Gloucester did not raise their game and perform on the day
This season's Euro dream is almost over—it remains to be seen if the reign of some players and the coaching staff will survive in the inevitable fall-out from this defeat.
T.H - - 19/1/2008

Pricey's Postscript -
Two teams of similar ability and quota of international players took to the pitch this afternoon.
One team had vision, flair and above all a desire to play rugby; the other side was called Gloucester.
Cardiff showed their intent from the kick off with the confidence to try and run the ball out of their 22 - it may not be the accepted method and is certainly not in the Gloucester game plan handbook but it was effective. Cardiff retained possession and made ground. Whenever Gloucester gained possession they either kicked it straight back to Cardiff for them to try again or opted for the rugby league style of a tight forward taking the short pass from the dummy half.
The fact that Cardiff had a player sent off seemed to make no difference whatsoever to the Gloucester game plan. Rather than draw the tackler and automatically create an overlap there was needless pass the parcel style passes that allowed the Cardiff drift defence to cover a flat and slow moving line. Cardiff were quick to the breakdown with players able to clear out the rucks. The Gloucester operatives, previously described as a back row, were strung across the pitch for more grunt and grind attack into the arms of a thankful Cardiff defence.
Gloucester place great store by their kicking game and whilst that style of play is out of fashion with the winning HC teams, it could be regarded as a useful if albeit a limited tactic had Gloucester any players who could implement it with any degree of skill.
Ryan Lamb certainly cannot, and neither can he offer, it seems, much else in game management. He was a target as a defender in the 9/10 channel and he was a liability in attack. His decision to grubber kick on the Cardiff line typified his lack of ability to read or control a game.
The fact that Gloucester remained a contender in the game before the Cardiff try was scored was down to the woeful goal kicking of their opponents. Their misses kept Gloucester in the game.
There is no doubt that the best side won. There is no doubt that the sands of time are running out on Dean Ryan's tenure as chief coach, mover and shaker at Kingsholm.
John Price - 19/1/2008