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Champions Cup: Edinburgh squeek past Gloucester late as Bath pump Castres
By PA
EDINBURGH COME FROM BEHIND TO EXTEND GLOUCESTER’S LOSING RUN
Edinburgh staged a second-half comeback to pick up a hard-fought 26-24 win over Gloucester in the Champions Cup and consigned the visitors to a fifth straight defeat.
It took three minutes for the hosts to take the lead when Josh Hathaway ran over for the first points, and George Barton’s penalty a little over 10 minutes later gave Gloucester an eight-point advantage.
Edinburgh responded with their first try in the 17th minute, courtesy of Ben Vellacott’s brilliant solo try, to cut the deficit to three points, which was quickly cancelled out by Barton’s second penalty of the half.
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Gloucester capped off a brilliant half with their second try of the match as Charlie Atkinson chased a kick and managed to get it down over the whitewash before it bounced out of play.
Edinburgh got themselves back in the game through Ewan Ashman, but Barton’s third penalty took Gloucester’s advantage to nine.
After the break, Liam McConnell went in under the posts to cut the deficit to two, and they took the lead through a penalty try, while Gloucester’s Atkinson was handed a yellow card – Barton’s fourth penalty was not enough to stop them from falling to defeat.
BATH STAY TOP OF POOL TWO WITH WIN OVER CASTRES
Bath scored three tries in each half as they earned a convincing 43-20 victory over Castres to stay at the top of Pool Two in the Champions Cup.
The French side hit the front in the sixth minute after an offside penalty allowed the hosts to kick for the corner, and Teddy Durand was able to finish off after the pack drove the maul over the line, but Cameron Redpath’s try made it all square six minutes later.
Bath had to play with a man less for 10 minutes when Beno Obano was shown a yellow card, and Castres took advantage with their second try through Wilfried Hulleu, but Ted Hill smashed his way over to once again pull it level.
Bath turned the game on its head when Tom Dunn dotted down, and it was Castres’ turn to play with a man less when Durand was sent to the bin.
Bath had their first try after the interval when Obano slid over, and Finn Russell’s penalty extended the advantage to nine.
The visitors asserted their dominance to cap off a comprehensive win with two further scores from Will Muir before Tom Carr-Smith rounded off the scoring.
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