THE HIGH DRAMA was saved for the final minutes of a pulsating match of non-stop relentless consuming passion and endeavour which more than made up for a lack of top quality rugby, in an intense atmosphere which turned Kingsholm into a cauldron of noise and emotion.
Gloucester had been forced to play catch-up rugby all afternoon and were still two points behind as the match entered its final minutes. With Gloucester camped beneath the Llanelli posts, scrum half Elton Moncrieff tried a desperate snap drop goal. He miss hit it but the ball deflected off an unfortunate Llanelli forward to creep up and over the bar.
The smallest margin of victory for the Cherry and Whites was brought about by a large slice of good fortune and was a huge result for Gloucester after having endured so many narrow defeats this season.
Elton Moncrieff, the hero at the end of a titanic struggle, could quite easily have been the villain of the piece for his general play was most disappointing.
The Gloucester half backs were laboured and indecisive—at times they did not seem to know which option to take. Whether to run, pass, or kick, the efforts behind the scrum were once more a long way short of a convincing performance, patently lacking in confidence, composure and guile.
Simon Mannix this week kicked his penalty goals but Gloucester kicked away too much possession with aimless kicks up-field, which gained nothing, instead of kicking to the corners to expose the inexperienced Llanelli full back.
Gloucester’s present limitations in attack were certainly not helped by the Llanelli cover defence, which like so many others, lived so close to the border-line of being continually off-side. A long string of infringements ensued as the visitors prevented Gloucester scoring until the fortieth minute of the first half.
By then Llanelli had soaked up a long period of sustained territorial pressure when Gloucester had forced four rucks and mauls on their line but had been unable to score.
Llanelli had built up a 13 point lead thanks to the consistent place kicking of outside half Stephen Jones and a smart try from winger Mark Jones– the best back on the field, aided by some robust play in the loose by their heavyweight prop Martyn Madden.
For once Gloucester were not the worst offenders in the penalty count, 10-20 in favour of the home side. It showed the pressure they applied and the willing regularity of the Welshmen to incur the wrath of French international referee Didier Mene and concede penalties.
Just before half time Llanelli offended once too often, a sin-binning and Gloucester were awarded a penalty try, quickly followed up by a Mannix penalty.
At 10-13 at the break it was now anybody’s game as the No. 10’s swapped penalties. Llanelli then scored a super second try as Mark Jones outpaced Terry Fanolua following an abortive kick up-field from Mannix.
Llanelli were unable to sustain the momentum against a spirited Gloucester eight and had another yellow card. Mannix struck his penalties well and totalled 20 points and narrowed the deficit to two points.
The tense final minutes saw Gloucester hammering away at the Llanelli line before the biggest freak drop goal of all time in a breathtaking climax.
It snatched victory for Gloucester but the visitors, thanks to their try scoring ability had looked the more dangerous side and the more likely victors.
Not a great game but a great advert for rugby—Heineken must have been well pleased with the television and media coverage.
I wonder if the forthcoming Six Nations will create as much passion and excitement?
I doubt it.