Champions Cup

Johan blames a late panic

by
The Rugby Paper Team
15 December 2019

JOHAN Ackermann admits his side panicked under the Irish onlsaught but praised their bravery.

“We put ourselves in a position to win the game and it was a brave display,” the Gloucester head coach said. “But it was quite special the way they scored the two tries, especially the last one.

We panicked a little bit and missed a few tackles.

“We didn’t use the conditions as well as we could. We played in our half too much. And then there were three crucial penalties – the Ollie Thor ley high tackle, a yellow card, and then a penalty in a lineout maul and then all our players in front of a kick-off.

TEAMS

CONNACHT: Carty 6; Adeolokun 6 (Daly 23, 7), Godwin 6, Aki 9, Porch 7; Fitzgerald 8, Blade 8 (Kerins 64, 7); McCabe 6 (Buckley 42, 6), Heffernan 7 (Delahunt 72, 7), Robertson- McCoy 6 (Bealham 52, 7); Dillane 7, Maksymiw 6 (Murray 72, 6); McKeon 7 (Masterson 66, 6), Butler (c) 7, Boyle 7 (Copeland 72, 8) GLOUCESTER: Banahan 6; Rees-Zammit 7 (Marais 29-39, 6), Twelvetrees 6, Atkinson 8 (Harris 76, 6), Thorley 7; Evans 7, Braley 7 (Simpson 72, 6); Hohneck 8 (Seville 72, 6), Gleave 6 (Marais 66, 6), Balmain 7 (Ford-Robinson 46, 7); Craig 6 (Mostert, 25-36 HIA, 6), Grobler 8; Clarke 7 (Hinkley 64, 6), Ludlow (c) 7, Ackermann 7 (Morgan 64, 6)

REFEREE: Romain Poite (Fr)

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Star man

Gerbrandt Grobler – Gloucester

“We still played some good rugby but to compete at this level, we need to limit how we lost concentration.

It’s not a lack of attitude, but a lack of discipline.

“At half-time, we felt it was a win for us as they ended the half camped on our line. It took so long to take the lead in the third quarter so that showed we didn’t use the conditions as we could have.

“Sometimes life throws up punishment and you just have to get on with it.”