AN ENTHRALLING LOCAL DERBY CLASH boiled up into a dramatic close finish as the Cherry and Whites snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a finish to their European Challenge Cup semi-final against Worcester, with a theatre-like see-saw performance on the Kingsholm stage.
Thanks to some enterprising back play Gloucester had built up an early first half 15-3 lead but the all too familiar power-cut to the home side’s pack, saw the weighty Worcester forwards grind away to help build a 15-17 half-time lead.
Things didn’t look too good for the home side when the boot of Shane Drahm eased the visitors further ahead early in the second half to increase their lead to 23-15.
However in a heart-pounding and pulsating final quarter Gloucester at last managed to secure much needed possession, gain enough territory to put the visitors under some telling pressure and force errors at key times to work their way back into contention.
Rising young star fly-half, the inventive Ryan Lamb set up the winning try for Mark Foster with a perfectly delivered cross-kick and then added the conversion and a penalty to make the game safe and earn a place in the European Challenge Cup final.
An early exchange of penalties between Ryan Lamb and Shane Drahm got the score-board moving before a scintillating piece of play from the Gloucester backs opened up the visitors’ defence. Olly Morgan secured the take of a high ball and following good work from the improving Peter Richards and Ryan Lamb they opened up the Worcester defence before the ball was worked to James Simpson-Daniel who had plenty to do but made it look easy as he crossed wide out for the first try.
Lamb also had a major hand in the next score as he found centre Anthony Allen who dummied his way through and made scoring look so simple as he touched down under the posts. The conversion by Lamb took the score to 15-3 but any thoughts that Gloucester were in for an easy ride were soon dispelled as the Worcester forwards exerted their expected edge in set-piece and line out to get back into the game.
The visitors attacked strongly through a period of un-relenting pressure especially from their powerful centre Thomas Lombard but Gloucester’s tackling held firm until eventually Drahm forced his way over following a five yards scrum.
Worcester kept up the momentum playing with more cinstructive rugby than in the previous week and only more resourceful cover tackling from the home side and Mike Tindall in particular who is getting better each week, kept the visitors at bay.
Almost inevitably they scored through their captain Pat Sanderson scored from close range. Drahm’s straight-forward conversion put them in front for the first time at 17-15.
The second half started with Worcester still firmly in control of the tight exchanges and when Drahm slotted a drop goal followed by a penalty kick the outlook for the home side looked decidedly bleak.
Gloucester were obliged to replace Sinbad, Olly Morgan and Peter Buxton at half-time as they had all picked up knocks during a bruising first half with James Bailey, Ludovic Mercier and Luke Narraway.
As the game entered the final quarter Gloucester came back into the game and you could sense that their fitness was beginning to tell. Ryan Lamb got Gloucester back on track with another successful kick before Ludovic Mercier produced a great long range penalty kick from close on the half-way line to narrow the gap to just 21-23.
Then followed an inspired passage of play as an up and under kick was sensationally caught by Ludo from the waiting opposing full back fellow Frenchman Nicolas Le Roux. Gloucester retained possession from the ruck, the ball was worked back to Lamb, whose cross-field kick was spot on and Mark Foster made no mistake with the catch and dived over. Lamb converted from close to the touch-line to edge the Cherry and Whites back in front at 28-23.
Another good penalty from Lamb and a hushed Kingsholm erupted and importantly put Gloucester two scores in front going into injury time and Worcester were down and out. Gloucester fans could at last begin to breathe more easily before the final whistle eased the tension.
A close run thing, too close for comfort at times but the win deservedly puts the Cherry and Whites into their first ever European final—albeit at The Stoop.