Bonus point lifts Gloucester

Gloucester claimed a bonus point victory with a 40-17 success over Calvisano in a free-flowing contest in Italy.

With Group Two leaders Cardiff beating Biarritz on Friday, Gloucester had to score four tries to ensure the gap between them and the leaders remained no more than one bonus-point victory.

Ryan Lamb, Luke Narraway and Marco Bortolami all crossed before the break for the visitors, with Jack Forster adding a crucial fourth before a penalty try and Mike Tindall's late effort.

But it was the hosts, who had managed just two wins in their previous 38 Heineken Cup ties, who had the first chance to score when Italian outside half Paulo Buso was gifted a seventh-minute penalty chance which he pushed wide.

So it was his opposite number Lamb who took the chance to get the scoreboard moving when he intercepted a pass on half-way in the 11th minute. He ran unopposed to the line for a try which Olly Barkley converted.

The opening quarter was a close-run affair with the two packs keeping the game tight, and Buso was able to reduce the gap with a 15th-minute penalty.

But any thoughts of a meaningful home side revival were well and truly crushed when Luke Narraway successfully controlled at the base of a powerful Gloucester scrum to claim a pushover try which Barkley converted on the half-hour.

As the game moved into first-half injury-time it was the Italy skipper Bortolami who put the boot into his countrymen as he rounded off a great move that included fine work from Matthew Watkins and Narraway.

Command

That score put the visitors well in command, but the yellow card dished out to Calvisano hooker and skipper Leonardo Ghiraldini on the stroke of half-time dealt them a crucial blow.

While he was off the field, Gloucester helped themselves to their bonus-point try a mere three minutes after the restart.

Replacement prop Ali McKenzie knocked on from the kick-off at the start of the second half and from the scrum Gloucester built the platform for their score.

It was Scotland international Alasdair Strokosch who led the charge, taking the ball to within four metres, and then when the ball was recycled Rory Lawson fed Forster for the try.

Barkley added the conversion, yet no sooner had they moved into a 23-point lead than Gloucester took their foot off the pedal and allowed the home side to hit back.

Two minutes before Ghiraldini returned, 14-man Calvisano conjured up a try from a scrum following a midfield fumble by Gloucester. Scrum-half Pino Patelli made the initial break before Buso carried on.

With the Gloucester line fractured, quick passing allowed Italian wing Ludovico Nitoglia to cross for a try which Buso converted.

In the 52nd minute, Calvisano were again back down to 14 men following the dismissal of replacement lock Nicola Cattina.

Punch

Having come on as a 53rd-minute replacement for Luca Beccaris, the 23-year-old was sent off two minutes later by Welsh referee James Jones for a punch at the side of a ruck on Narraway.

Losing a man for the duration did not dent Calvisano's ambition, however, and after 73 minutes, Calvisano grabbed their second try with a strong forward drive that paved the way for McKenzie to plough over, and Gerard Fraser converted.

That cut the gap to a mere nine points with seven minutes to play and forced Gloucester to stage a late surge.

Gloucester were awarded a penalty try when Narraway was prevented from touching down and then replacement Tindall intercepted to race clear for try number six.

Barkley converted both scores but it is the glut of tries whcih will keep the Blues glancing over their shoulders at their English pursuers, who have another chance to grab five points against the same opponents at Kingsholm next week.