Gloucester make it lucky 13 over Worcester in Challenge Cup
Friday 18 December 2015 07:15, UK
Gloucester clinched a record 13th consecutive Challenge Cup victory with a 27-13 triumph over Worcester at Kingsholm.
Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw snaffled 22 points including a try, with former Worcester flanker Matt Kvesic the other Cherry and Whites star to cross the whitewash.
Ben Howard claimed Worcester's solitary try, but reigning Challenge Cup champions Gloucester remain in control in Pool Four, with four successive victories.
Worcester started well and claimed the first try of the night after Laidlaw and Ryan Lamb had exchanged penalties. From turnover ball, centre Andy Symons managed a great offload in the tackle to release full-back Ben Howard who showed great pace to run in from 50 metres out. Lamb's conversion gave the Warriors an early 10-3 lead.
However Gloucester came roaring back and converted pressure into points when Worcester could not deal with Jonny May's kick downfield. May managed to get the ball back and fed to Laidlaw who had an easy run in. Laidlaw converted his try before adding two more penalties to give the hosts a 16-10 lead at the break.
Laidlaw converted two more penalties after the break while Lamb clawed back three points for Worcester with one of his own before former Worcester man Kvesic scored Gloucester's second try. Gloucester got the driving maul going from a lineout and drove over the line with Kvesic coming up with the ball. Laidlaw could not convert but it was enough for the Cherry and Whites to secure the win.
In the other game of the night, Demetri Catrakilis converted Paul Willemse's overtime try to rob Cardiff Blues of a memorable win in Montpellier in Pool Three.
Cardiff led 22-16 as the game edged into its final play, but the Welsh region could not hold out, Willemse stealing home and Catrakilis completing the smash-and-grab raid.
Alex Cuthbert's try and three penalties and a conversion from Rhys Patchell put Cardiff 16-6 to the good, with Catrakilis on target with two penalties of his own.
Julien Malzieu's converted try put Montpellier back in contention, before Jarrod Evans' two penalties stretched the Blues' lead to five points heading into the dying exchanges.
