So Gloucester started six points in arrears Once within striking distance lock Jim Evans took the ball up, it was recycled and swung right. Harder got his hands on it and looked outside, the opposition followed his gaze and the grateful Samoan slipped through. Four players - two from each side - went to the sin-bin.But when they finally got going Quins looked mustard. Right wing George Harder collected two tries, but it was teamwork which won the day. Fly-half Paul Burke landed four penalties and converted three of four tries.That opening try had promised so much more though. Quins worked upfield, so well organised that the French could do nothing to stop them. It certainly underlined the English dominance of this competition - the trophy has not left these shores for the last three seasons.Quins found it tough at times though, especially early on, despite an electrifying start with a try inside the first minute. An unsympathetic and error-prone referee did not help the home cause, awarding knock-ons, for example, against the home side when Frenchmen lost the ball in rugged tackles by Quins, and blowing up both sides for a bewildering array of unidentifiable offences which frustrated the crowd no end. Brive's Parc Municipal des Sports is never the easiest of places for visiting teams yet yesterday Harlequins made their visit next Sunday look rather less daunting after this comprehensive thrashing. However uncomfortable Quins find the return, they will have a plump cushion to take with them for the second leg of this Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final. They were much better than that.Bourgoin: A Forest ; G Esterhuizen, G Davis, F Fritz, J-F Coux ; B Boyet, C Laussucq; O Milloud (capt), B Cabello (J-P Bonrepeaux, 56), P Peyron (J Boulc, 32), M Stolz, P Pape, J Bonnaire, A Petrilli, P Caillet.Gloucester: J Goodridge ; M Garvey, R Todd, H Paul, J Simpson-Daniel; D McRae, A Gomarsall; T Woodman, C Fortey, P Vickery, A Eustace, A Brown, J Boer (capt), P Buxton, J Paramore.Referee: D Courtney (Ireland).. Paul kicked a third penalty and converted a make-amends reply from McRae. Just one more try was needed for that vital point.The Kingsholm welcome for Treviso next Saturday may be especially hostile, not least because that game will be over before Munster kick off knowing exactly what their target is at home to Bourgoin, whom they narrowly beat in their opening game of the tournament back in early December.Even the local newspaper admitted that all Bourgoin could hope for was something to cheer for the supporters and the opportunity for Philippe St Andr?the former coach at Gloucester, to deny his old club an easy path to the quarter-finals. But the Bourjalliens were in a mood to answer all of Gloucester's steam in kind.What Gloucester did not need was Peter Buxton being sent to the sin-bin just before half-time.
Bourgoin rejected a three-point penalty, kicked for the corner and then drove Pascal Pape over for a try.The script went even more soggy when scrum-half Christophe Laussucq dropped a 44th-minute goal and then, within 60 seconds, Flourain Fritz intercepted a loose McRae pass to scamper unopposed for a try Benjamin Boyet converted and Bourgoin were ahead Only briefly. So Gloucester started six points in arrears.But when Gloucester have their mean and hungry look the opposition should take care. They were clearly ready to rip into anything that stood in their way, but even they must have been surprised when Bourgoin were caught napping at the kick-off.The ball was turned over, McRae popped a kick over to Marcel Garvey on the right wing and he avoided the clutches of Glenn Davis to score a try with exactly 20 seconds of the game gone.Henry Paul converted and added two penalties as Gloucester tried to give themselves enough of a cushion to move, despite the driving rain, into adventurous phase. All eyes were on Italy during the afternoon, and the news was not good. Not only did Munster beat Treviso, they ran in five more tries. It stretched the obvious nerves of coach Dean Ryan, but with just three minutes to go James Simpson-Daniel made every winger's dream come true. From a break by stand-off Duncan McRae he scored the vital bonus point-earning fourth try for Gloucester to set up a grandstand finale to decide the winner of Heineken Cup Pool Five next weekend. Once again southern France served up damp conditions, which was not really what Gloucester wanted if they were to run in the four tries they needed to earn a bonus point. The Titans, who take on Viadana again at Millmoor next Saturday, ran in four tries in the final 20 minutes and almost overturned a 32-6 deficit.Worcester extended their lead in National League One to 11 points after thrashing Bedford 43-5 while second-placed Orrell lost 22-19 at Plymouth Albion.. Lawrence Dallaglio, Josh Lewsey, Rob Howley, Craig Dowd, Simon Shaw and Phil Greening all sit it out.Saracens' coach, Rod Kafer, has recalled Taine Randell and Raphael Iba?for today's daunting Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final first leg at Montferrand while centre Kevin Sorrell also returns.Rotherham have an excellent chance of reaching the Parker Pen Shield semi-finals despite losing 32-30 away to Viadana yesterday. But their task is complicated by injuries to fly-half Charlie Hodgson (knee) and wing Mark Cueto (broken hand), while centre Dan Harris's comeback hopes have been dashed by another shoulder injury. |
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