Gloucester’s lingering hopes of a Premiership top-four finish were dealt another blow when they were on the wrong end of forty points at Franklin’s Gardens, where Northampton have only been beaten once in the last two seasons, duly won.
The defeat may not yet be a mortal blow but with only two games remaining even the most biased Shedhead should be facing up to the fact that this season Gloucester, for all their individual talents, are but a shadow of the side that has topped the two previous seasons’ Premiership tables.
Gloucester may have been in contention this season before this game but not having won a Premiership game away from Kingsholm this year puts things firmly into perspective.
Whilst Gloucester may have denied a star-studded Ospreys side a score at Coventry last week, this time round it was four tries and four penalties conceded—hardly top of the table form.
Two late tries gave a lop-sided gloss to the Saints' score-line but at no time did the visitors build sufficient momentum or establish anything like supremacy and were always playing catch-up rugby from the time the hosts soon established an early ten point lead.
Yet again inconsistent Gloucester were made to suffer from the start with their mis-guided insistence on adopting an inept kicking game, which enabled the Saints back-three to counter attack at will and all too often beat the first-up tackles.
Stephen Myler kicked an early penalty for Saints whereas Ryan Lamb missed out before a fluid move sparked by full back Bruce Reihana saw winger Paul Diggin cross for a converted try.
Gloucester did get a score when Rory Lawson charged down a kick on the Saints goal-line for Nick Wood to drop on the loose ball. Lamb missed the conversion and another penalty attempt which hit the upright. Gloucester had not learnt their lesson when Reihana again gathered a poor kick from Lamb to launch a counter-attack that enabled Dylan Hartley to cross in the corner virtually unopposed, Myler again converting 17-5.
However Gloucester did hit back following a surging run from Akupusi Qera who used his strength to break through before Will James got Gloucester’s second try. The conversion made it 17-12 and raised hopes but another Myler penalty kick took the score to 20-12.
To their credit Gloucester did hit back when a fine run from Olly Morgan was finished off by Mark Foster with a try, converted by Lamb which narrowed the gap to 20-19.
As happens all too often, Gloucester soon conceded a penalty and Myler took the score to 23-19 at half-time.
Gloucester were still in contention when Lamb missed another penalty kick but struggled to achieve possession, authority, or territory in the second half so not surprisingly it was difficult to establish impetus or serious go-forward.
Lamb and Anthony Allen were replaced by Carlos Spencer and Olly Barkley who kicked a penalty to close the gap to 23-22 going into the final quarter.
Replacement for the injured Alastair Strokosch, Andy Hazell, was sin-binned following the intervention by the touch judge in response to pleading from a Saints player as Gloucester were defending desperately before Myler made it 26-22 with his fourth penalty.
The possibility of a consolation bonus-point was wrenched from Gloucester when Reihana again took advantage of a loose kick to shred the visitors’ defence for another converted try. 33-22.
With the clock counted down, Saints executed the coup de grace with a final flourish as Diggin got his second converted try and a bonus-point win for Northampton with another well executed counter-attack to put the final nail in the Gloucester coffin.
For all the talent assembled at Kingsholm, Gloucester as a team have flattered to deceive and will have to settle for Heineken qualification.
Ultimate Premiership success is as far away as ever.
Injuries have undoubtedly disrupted this season it is true but the squad should be capable of coping but has been ham-strung by a lack of adaptable tactical nous.
All in all very disappointing.
It is premature to administer the last rites to this Premiership season but it is essentially all over bar the shouting and the inevitable post-mortem followed up by the necessary fall-out.

T.H. 5/4/2009

Pricey's Postscript
Whilst the final score is somewhat misleading I thought that Gloucester were dead and buried after just 20 minutes. It was not that Northampton played particularly well, a point probably best illustrated by the 23-19 half-time scoreline but having compared the two sides you would have thought that Gloucester were a 7th or 8th placed side.
Yes, there were first choice players absent through injury (but fit enough to spend two days at the Aintree horse racing meeting!) but those who stepped up to the plate just didn't perform.
Ball retention was poor as was first up tackling. Discipline was as per usual (4 successful penalties taken by Saints) and decision making probably as bad as it has been all season.
In summary Gloucester were on the wrong side of a forty pointer achieved by a team whose league position accurately reflects their ability.
I shall be glad to see the end of this season; a season I have not enjoyed by virtue of the style of rugby played. You could feel sorry for Dean Ryan and his coaching cohorts if they were starved of resources but they have benefited from an abundance of talent in playing terms and enjoy exceptional training facilities at Hartpury.
Gloucester must be the bookies favourites for the Under Achievers of the Year award by their uncanny knack to continually over promise and under deliver.
J.G.P - 5/4//2009