Gloucester one step closer to Europe
Comments
0
Gloucester will host Bordeaux Bègles next Sunday in the final Champions Cup qualifier after they defeated Connacht 40-32 after extra-time on Sunday.
Ross Moriarty's early score was cancelled out by John Cooney before Charlie Sharples raced home. But Jack Carty was on-hand to claim the advantage at the conclusion of a thrilling first-half. Matt Healy looked to have sealed their place at Europe's top table, but Bill Meakes' converted try sent the play-off to extra time.
Connacht had the advantage again in extra-time with Healy's second, but Darren Dawiduik was shunted over and the lead changed hands once more. And the tie was finally settled when Johnny May raced over to send his side into a Sixways play-off with Bordeaux.
Match two will take place at Sixways Stadium, Worcester next Sunday, May 31 as Kingsholm is not available to host the fixture.
Gloucester qualified for the play-offs by winning the Challenge Cup earlier this month and were awarded home advantage for match one following a draw carried out by the EPCR Board.
Bordeaux-Bègles qualified by finishing in seventh place after the conclusion of the Top 14 league phase.
Connacht will now play in next season's European Rugby Challenge Cup.
The Scorers:
For Gloucester:
Tries: Moriarty, Sharples, Meakes, Dawdulk, May
Cons: Laidlaw 3
Pens: Laidlaw 2, Hook
For Connacht:
Tries: Cooney, Carty, Healy 2
Cons: Carty 3
Pens: Carty 2
Teams:
Gloucester: 15 Charlie Sharples, 14 Jonny May, 13 Bill Meakes, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (captain), 11 Henry Purdy, 10 James Hook, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Jacob Rowan, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16 Darren Dawidiuk, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Lewis Ludlow, 21 Dan Robson, 22 Billy Burns, 23 Rob Cook.
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O'Halloran, 14 Fionn Carr, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 John Cooney, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Eoghan Masterson, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Aly Muldowney, 4 George Naoupu, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 JP Cooney, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Andrew Browne, 20 James Connolly, 21 Ian Porter, 22 Miah Nikora, 23 Shane O'Leary.
Date: Sunday, May 24
Venue: Kingsolm Stadium, Gloucester
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
ADVERTISEMENT
