Gloucester beat Worcester in European Challenge Cup derby
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 16/12/15 1:00pm
European Challenge Cup holders Gloucester maintained their 100 per cent start by claiming a bonus point 34-22 victory over Worcester at Sixways.
The Cherry and Whites tightened their grip on Pool 4 as they made it three wins out of three to leave group rivals Worcester, Zebre and La Rochelle playing catch-up.
Wing Henry Purdy scored two tries while there were also touchdowns for Steve McColl, Rob Cook and Billy Twelvetrees with Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw adding three conversions and a penalty.
Worcester delivered three tries of their own - wing Dean Hammond, Mike Daniels and Darren O'Shea the scorers - with fly-half Ryan Lamb booting a drop-goal and two conversions.
The Warriors went in level at 10-10 at half-time thanks to Lamb's late drop-goal but they were undone by an imperious attacking display from man of the match Billy Burns, whose creativity and handling skills tormented the Worcester defence.
New England head coach Eddie Jones looked on as Hammond's try gave Worcester an early lead, only for Purdy to edge Gloucester in front before Lamb tied things up at the break.
Worcester had prop Gareth Milasinovich sin-binned 10 minutes before the break while Gloucester No 8 Lewis Ludlow was yellow-carded midway through the second period.
Purdy's second touchdown, followed by a Cook try when Burns found him with a brilliant pass, took Gloucester clear.
And although Daniels scored from close-range, McColl rounded off a sharp move sparked by Laidlaw, then Twelvetrees caught Burns' kick to complete an impressive night's work.
Meanwhile, Grenoble went top of Pool 5 above Edinburgh and London Irish by defeating Top 14 rivals Agen 40-20.
Tonga prop Sona Taumalolo scored three first-half tries for the visitors with wing Xavier Mignot touching down twice to leave Agen bottom of the group without a point.
