Gloucester shut out Harlequins as Hathaway and Clement seal third straight win

Gloucester Rugby recorded a 3rd consecutive Gallagher Premiership victory with a 14-0 scoreline towards Harlequins due to first-half tries from Josh Hathaway and Jack Clement.

After beating defending champions Northampton Saints of their final Premiership encounter, a sold-out Kingsholm was anticipating a aggressive conflict towards Quins.

The ability of the Cherry & Whites forwards was evident from the outset, placing their guests onto the again foot.

Kingsholm was handled to a Twelfth-minute opening strive when Max Llewellyn’s dummy resulted in Hathaway operating over.

The second strive was additionally equally as spectacular as from a line-out, a driving maul with tempo resulted in Clement crossing the whitewash.

Gloucester ought to have been additional out of sight by the conclusion as Santiago Carreras noticed a penalty hit the posts, and Josh Hathaway failed to complete when he was kicked by means of.

The outcome sees the Cherry and Whites mount additional stress on the highest 4, whereas Quins drop to 5 factors outdoors the play-offs earlier than the remainder of the weekend’s fixtures.

Subsequent week sees Harlequins have one other robust conflict at house to Leicester, whereas Gloucester journey to Exeter Chiefs.

A victory final month towards Northampton Saints adopted by tonight’s at house to Harlequins has put Gloucester on the verge of the Gallagher Premiership high 4.

With a visit to backside facet Exeter and a house conflict towards Sale to comply with followers at Kingsholm are beginning to consider one thing particular is constructing.

Gloucester have secured six strive bonus factors from eight video games this season, however it’s their defence which is beginning to stand out.

For the primary time in 10 years Harlequins failed to attain a single level throughout a recreation, regardless of having a bunch of visits into the Gloucester 22.

Quins will replicate on some fundamental errors which handed possession again to their opponents, however Gloucester will take nice satisfaction from their cussed defence and highly effective scrummage.

Gloucester have been with out scrum-half Williams since he injured his shoulder whereas enjoying for Wales within the Autumn Nations Collection.

Williams missed his facet’s earlier Gallagher Premiership win towards Northampton Saints, however performed a key position of their win towards Harlequins.

The Welsh worldwide was influential in his facet’s opening strive after which had the foresight to kick Hathaway by means of late within the match, for what ought to have been his second strive.

Gloucester Rugby: Carreras 7, Wade 7, Llewellyn 8, Atkinson 8, Hathaway 7, Anscombe 7, Williams 8, Knight 7, Blake 7, Fasogbon 7, Thomas 7, Alemanno 7, Clement 7, Ludlow 7, Ackermann 7. Replacements: Singleton 6, Vivas 6, Gotovtsev 6, Jordan 6, Tuisue 6, Barton 6

Harlequins: Inexperienced 6, Isgro 6, Beard 6, Anyanwu 6, Murley 6, Smith 6, Porter 6, Baxter 6, Walker 6, Kerrod 6, Lamb 6, Hammond 6, Cunningham-South 6, Evans 6, Dombrandt 6. Replacements: Riley 6, Jones 6, Lewis 6, Herbst 6, Chisholm 6, Care 6, Evans 6, David 6.

12’ – TRY! GLOUCESTER (HATHAWAY) 7-0 HARLEQUINS: Llewellyn with a dummy run earlier than feeding the ball behind him and Anscombe spots the run of Hathaway out large to attain the opening strive. Carreras kicks the conversion straight down the center.

29’ – TRY! GLOUCESTER (CLEMENT) 14-0 HARLEQUINS: Fasogbon is actually thriving within the scrum tonight and he wins one other scrum penalty. The next line-out leads to a good driving maul which spins and permits Clement to the touch the ball down. Carreras curls house his second conversion of the evening.

66’ – CARRERAS HITS POST: The Gloucester kicker opts for a penalty to take his facet’s benefit past two transformed tries. Nevertheless, his effort rattles the put up.

68’ – HATHAWAY BIG CHANCE: Williams sends a superb kick out large for Hathaway who is thru on the try-line. Nevertheless, as a substitute of catching the ball he tries to kick it on and as he tries to assemble the ball his shoulder falls into contact.

• Gloucester made 155 tackles to their opponent’s 97 and either side had a sort out accuracy of 79%.