Carreras kicks hosts into semifinal
MATCH REPORT: Fullback Santiago Carreras kicked six penalties as he led Gloucester to a 23-13 win over Ospreys in their EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal.
Both clubs struggled to get their back-lines flowing, but Carreras kept his cool to kick a vital 18 points.
Gloucester will now have a home EPCR Challenge Cup semifinal, facing either Benetton or Connacht for a place in the final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24.
Both teams crossed once in an evenly-matched first half, Ospreys wing Keelan Giles going over first.
The try was made by fullback Jack Walsh, who had opened up the home club’s defence with a piercing run before laying off to Giles, who finished well.
Gloucester struck back with an unconverted score from hooker Seb Blake, the pack successfully bundling over following a 5m lineout.
Ospreys flyhalf Owen Williams converted Giles’ score and added a penalty, Giles adding another from the tee with the clock in the red, but it was Gloucester who led at the break thanks to three Carreras penalties.
Carreras continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the second period as the Premiership club’s pack began to assert dominance.
Ospreys increasingly struggled to hold possession and gain territory, with mistakes allowing Carreras to kick a further three penalties and ultimately fire Gloucester into a home EPCR Challenge Cup semifinal.
Scorers:
For Gloucester:
Try: Blake
Pens: Carreras 6
For Ospreys:
Tries: Giles
Cons: Williams
Pens: Williams, Giles
Teams:
Gloucester: 15 Santi Carreras, 14 Jonny May, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Jake Morris, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Lewis Ludlow (captain), 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Freddie Thomas, 4 Freddie Clarke, 3 Kirill Gotovtsev, 2 Seb Blake, 1 Jamal Ford-Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Santi Socino, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Albert Tuisue, 20 Jack Clement, 21 Caolan Engelfield, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Chris Harris.
Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Luke Morgan, 13 Keiran Williams, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Justin Tipuric (captain), 6 Harri Deaves, 5 Adam Beard, 4 James Ratti, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Gareth Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Lewis Lloyd, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Rhys Henry, 19 Huw Sutton, 20 Morgan Morse, 21 Luke Davies, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Max Nagy.
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant referees: Tual Trainini (France), Jeremy Rozier (France)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France)
Source @EPCR
