Gloucester fightback to win thriller
GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Louis Rees-Zammit of Gloucester breaks clear to score their first try after making a solo break during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby and Wasps at Kingsholm Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
By Nick Powell
Gloucester……..27pts
Tries: Rees-Zammit 44, Chapman 47, Penalty 69, Clarke 73
Conversions: Hastings 48
Penalties: Hastings 60
Wasps…………21pts
Tries: Atkinson 25, Shields 28, Ogendaal 31
Conversions: Atkinson 26, 29, 32
A completely dominant second half display was enough for Gloucester to earn a statement victory in the opening round of the Premiership, as they produced an extraordinary comeback to beat Wasps from 21-0 down at Kingsholm.
Wasps played scintillating rugby as Charlie Atkinson, Brad Shields and new signing Burger Odendaal all crossed in six superb first half minutes, with Gloucester's defence a mess and their attack devoid of direction.
The visitors threatened to go further clear shortly after the break, but after Sam Spink fumbled, Louis Rees-Zammit scored a sensational length-of-the-field try, before Charlie Chapman added another only a few moments later.
Heading into the final quarter Adam Hastings cut the gap to less than a converted score, and after Wasps were reduced to 13 men, Gloucester were awarded a penalty and Freddie Clarke secured the bonus-point to earn a crucial and impressive victory.
Rarely has Kingsholm sounded so quiet as it did in the first half, but Wasps dominated from the first whistle and might have felt they should have got in front much earlier than they did.
New-man Odendaal was causing trouble with the lines he was running inside the Gloucester defence, supported by Atkinson who was cleverly shifting the Cherry and Whites' defence from fly-half.
He would score the first try of the game on 25 minutes, converting his own score after he dummied through following several phases from the forwards to score under the posts.
Moments later, a fantastic line from John Ryan enabled Shields to get over, the flanker barrelling over after a rapid pickup with Odendaal having been stopped inches from the line.
Odendaal was next to get over, cutting through the Gloucester defence and stepping Rees-Zammit to score as the Cherry and Whites were again deceived from his line back against the grain.
Gloucester needed a clichéd moment of magic to kickstart a fightback, and their response to regaining possession in their own dead-ball area was truly something to admire.
After quick hands, Welsh International Rees-Zammit received possession 15 metres from his own line, and produced a rapid, arcing run to finish in the left-hand corner.
The conversion drifted wide, but less than three minutes later a lovely line from Harry Elrington saw him break through, and he found Albert Tuisue who fed Chapman to further reduced the deficit.
After more Gloucester dominance, they eventually opted to take three points on 60 minutes having failed to add a third try following numerous spells of sustained pressure.
Hastings was successful, and though Gloucester couldn't get over the line itself for the next ten minutes, they still managed to come away with seven points by a virtue of being awarded a penalty try.
Wasps might have felt hard done by with the fact they did not lose just one player to the sin-bin but two in the attacking spell Gloucester had.
Tom Willis stopped one maul rolling illegally and was given a 10-minute breather, before Elliot Millar-Mills was also shown yellow for his actions that led to the penalty try.
It ended any hopes of Wasps hitting back, and after Gloucester worked their way up the field, they eventually scored their bonus-point try after Freddie Clarke just about brushed the try-line as he drove over.
Once back to a full compliment, Wasps produced a 20-phase charge as the clock passed into overtime as they searched for a late winner, but it was not be and Gloucester could celebrate a famous victory from a record comeback.
TEAMS
GLOUCESTER: Evans, Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson (Twelvetrees 63′), Thorley, Hastings, Chapman (Meehan 59′); Elrington (Rapava Ruskin 59′), Singleton (Socino 59′), Balmain (Ford-Robinson), Clarke, Craig (Jordan 64′), Ackermann (c), Taylor, Morgan (Tuisue 31′)
Replacements: Socino, Rapava-Ruskin, Ford-Robinson, Jordan, Tuisue, Meehan, Twelvetrees, Moyle
WASPS: Minozzi (Crossdale 6′), Kibirige, Spink, Odendaal (Mills 68′), Bassett, Atkinson, Robson (Porter 54′); Hislop (Millar-Mills 62′), Cruse (Frost 49′), Ryan (Alo 59′), Launchbury (c), McDonald, T Willis, Shields (J Willis 39′), Barbeary
Replacements: Frost, Millar-Mills, Alo, Morris, J Willis, Porter, Mills, Crossdale
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
Star man: Albert Tuisue
