Credit Where It Is Due

Reading the weekend press you would think that our overwhelming victory over Leicester was all down to some strange malaise which only afflicts Tigers and/or their coach isn't very good ...

The truth is we played very well and our new signings and new coaches are starting to influence matters on the pitch.

Tigers were made to look ordinary - specially in the first half - and our only complaint is that we somehow managed not to get a try bonus points. But would we have settled for a 33-16 at 15.14 on Saturday afternoon? You betcha.

Ben Morgan was the standout player as we raced to a half time lead of 30-9 with James Hook finally showing his undoubted class. WQood shaprples and May all crossed the whitewsash in style with the latter producing some mazy running to open up the visiting defence at will.

It was hardly surprising that the players took their foot of the gas in the second half, but a bit of magc at tghe end involving Cook and Atkinson almost brought that bonus point. Unfortunately  Sharples and Robson got in each others way.or.

Gloucs: Rob Cook; Charlie Sharples, Henry Purdy, Billy Twelvetrees (capt) (Mark Atkinson 20), Jonny May (Tom Isaacs 50); James Hook, Greig Laidlaw (Dan Robson 44); Nick Wood (Yann Thomas 55), Richard Hibbard (Aleki Lutui 75), John Afoa (Sila Puafisi 75); Tom Savage (Elliott Stooke 55), Tom Palmer; Sione Kalamafoni (Ross Moriarty 702), Matt Kvesic, Ben Morgan

Reps: Tries – N Wood, C Sharples, J May;

Cons – Laidlaw (3)

Penalties – Laidlaw (4)

Tigers: Mathew Tait (Matt Smith 20); Blaine Scully, Vereniki Goneva, Owen Williams, Miles Benjamin; Freddie Burns, Ben Youngs (c) (David Mele 50); Michele Rizzo (Tom Bristow 45), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Tiziano Pasquali 70), Fraser Balmain, Brad Thorn (Sebastian De Chaves 48), Graham Kitchener, Jamie Gibson, Julian Salvi, Robert Barbieri (Jordan Crane 456)

Try – D Mele;

Con – O Williams;

Penalties – O Williams (3)