At last ... Glaws get their hands on a trophy
Happy day
By Cherry Picker
March 21 2011
A win would have done, with a last-minute drop goal bouncing over via the top of the crossbar. But for Gloucester to win the Anglo-Welsh Cup with a 34-7 victory over any team, strugglers or not, is a massive boost to the club, the players, the coaching staff and the fans after the disappointment of their two previous appearances in the final.
Newcastle Falcons were blown away, as the Premiership places of the two teams suggested they might be, and Glaws picked up a long overdue trophy as a reward for yet another team effort – a reward that includes a place in next season’s Heineken Cup.
It was a result and a performance that delighted everybody of a cherry and white persuasion and while Franklin’s Gardens was quite a scene at the final whistle, what a pity the game couldn’t have been played somewhere bigger, or closer to home – or both.
But it was also a performance that will have prompted many cherry and white fans to ask the question again: Just why is Nicky Robinson leaving?
The man-of-the-match fly-half ran the game with the sort of performance a No.10 can only dream about, converting all four tries, adding two penalties and pinning the Falcons into their own half with some brilliant kicking.
Bryan Redpath told the BBC: "The players stuck to a lot of basics. I thought Nicky’s kicking to that bottom right-hand corner was exceptional and it just frustrated Newcastle.
"It gave us a bit of strength and then we took our opportunities. I am delighted for the players and the staff. I am absolutely chuffed to bits for everybody involved with the club.
"The players should be happy about winning something because we set our sights to get as high as we can in the Premiership and win a competition.
"We've done that and now the challenge is left to push on in the Premiership and make sure we keep growing as a side and learn from tough days."
That last sentence is the telling one – by all means enjoy the glory, enjoy the success and enjoy the occasion.
But don’t get carried away – the LV= is the third most important trophy Glaws have competed for this season and the Premiership will continue to demand their full attention.
They won this because they were the better side and because they didn’t regard the result as a foregone conclusion. If they can approach the rest of the season in the same way, they can continue the impressive improvement they have shown in the second half of the season.
Tom Voyce’s early try settled the nerves, as did Robinson’s conversion and penalty for a 10-0 half-time lead.
But the best was yet to come as, after another Robinson pen, Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu scored a try fit to grace any occasion and Charlie Sharples went over for another before the Falcons scored their consolation through Luke Eves and Darren Dawidiuk took the credit for a fourth Glaws try.
A great day … dare we hope it’s not the last this season?
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