Rees-Zammit strikes again as Gloucester keep qualification hopes alive
Gloucester kept their hopes of a European Champions Cup quarter-final place alive with a 29-6 victory over Montpellier at Kingsholm.
However, despite the bonus-point success they will probably need to secure at least a win in Toulouse in their final group game next Sunday in order to secure qualification.
This will be a daunting task as the unbeaten French side are already guaranteed top spot in Pool Five and beat Gloucester 25-20 at Kingsholm earlier in the season.
A strong second-half performance disposed of a much weakened Montpellier, who were already out of the competition so chose not to select any of their France international squad members in their starting line-up.
Gloucester’s tries came from Willi Heinz, Louis Rees-Zammit, Ben Morgan and Todd Gleave. Billy Twelvetrees converted three and added a penalty. Francois Steyn and Thomas Darmon kicked penalties for Montpellier.
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The hosts began brightly to test the French team’s defence with threatening runs from Rees-Zammit and Jason Woodward but they could not capitalise as they lost two of their first three lineout throws. After only nine minutes, the hosts suffered a big blow when Danny Cipriani limped off to be replaced by Welsh international, Owen Williams, for only his second appearance of the season.
Against the run of play, Montpellier had the first chance for points and full-back Steyn stepped up to kick a penalty from close to halfway to give his side a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. It was then the visitors’ turn to pick up an injury when South African wing Henri Immelman fell and twisted his knee as he fielded a clearance with no opponent near him.
Plenty of fans have been having their say on whether Gloucester's Louis Rees-Zammit is ready for a Wales call-uphttps://t.co/ZmX959aVg0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 9, 2020
Gloucester scored the first try after 33 minutes when Montpellier carelessly lost possession from a needless chip ahead and Rees- Zammit was on hand to pick up and race clear before providing Heinz with the scoring pass. Twelvetrees converted for a 7-3 half-time lead but by then the French’s injury woes had continued as forwards Antoine Guillamon and Julien Bardy were forced to leave the field.
The second half began in thrilling fashion. Ollie Thorley collected the restart and burst through the defence before running 80 metres. He was hauled down but Montpellier conceded a penalty, which Twelvetrees kicked. Swift passing from their three-quarters then saw Gloucester extend their lead when Rees-Zammit used his pace to find the corner before the visitors responded with a penalty from Darmon.
Morgan drove over for Gloucester’s third try before being replaced but it mattered little as Montpellier were firmly under the cosh. Their lock, Paul Willemse, was yellow carded for repeated team infringements and Gleave immediately crashed over to give his team a bonus point and a fighting chance in France next week.
– Press Association
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Comments on RugbyPass
The evidence is not strong that this is necessary. Mounga choked on clutch kicks in the WRC final and lost the match by not performing his core goal kicking role to the level required. He also choked in the Semi final against England and was targeted as the weak point in the defence allowing them to score. Not a test great frankly. Why bend the rules for a player that is competent but not brilliant at test level?
11 Go to commentsDear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
29 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
9 Go to commentsScott Barrett is a lock and they have a much longer shelf life than a loose forward. Far more likely that Barrett will still demand a starting position based on performance at age 33 at RWC 2027 than Savea, whose explosive athleticism will have declined and he will in all likelihood have been surpassed by Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Siti, Peter Lauki and Brayden Iose.
9 Go to commentsExtremely frustrating to get yet more speculation over whether or not Eben actually counted 12 players or not, but honestly big respect to McCloskey for keeping it classy and not pointing out Etzebeth’s hypocrisy. The Irish are a popular team outside of Ireland because they do their talking on the pitch, and its honestly a PR masterclass that they’re keeping it that way following Etzebeth’s provocation.
29 Go to commentsGood option for the lineout lost there.
1 Go to commentsIt’s not like Saffas have a long history of spouting absolute shite at any & every occasion. Oh wait… The dangers of an inferior third world education strike again.
29 Go to commentsI’m so glad we’re revisiting this. Really needs to be dissected further. I’m also so glad that a guy in the stands who wasn’t anywhere near the field when any of it would have been said (and even confirms this) has taken the lead and commented as Ireland. Definitely cleared it all up. This article would be hilarious if it wasn’t so misleading.
29 Go to commentsits such a shame he hasn’t achieved more success at club level. He’s really not been a potent finisher for a while now, but he’s still excellent in the kick chase. That’s the kind of skillset that generally only gets appreciated when you’re playing in premiership and european finals. I’m not sure whether the challenge cup counts given the quality of the competition seems lower than in previous years, but his duel with Mapimpi should be enthralling.
1 Go to commentsThe point is the irish players were arrogant,call it like you want sugar coat it aswell but they were you could see it in their way they handeled themselfs on the field when they got something right so dont tell me it was not arrogance it was,you can fool other people but not me,and to say to one of our players see you in the final put a nail in the coffin for this bullsh@t,just be grown men and accept it that you were arrogant,you could if seen it from a mile away, and then you lost to the allblacks what a cocky move that didnt work out for you ,Eben was right when he said u were arrogant,the point is you will deny it because you lost it all just grow some balls and move on we had won you lost accept it.
29 Go to comments“summer tour of North and South America” so its a summer tour of america?
1 Go to commentsEverybody is giving the Irish players the benefit of the doubt in ‘what they meant’, but none of these pundits or commentators offer the same courtesy to Eben. I don’t think Eben went, 1, 2, 3… etc. What might have happened is he didn’t count and when the 3rd or 5th guy said he went, hang on why are so many of them saying this… and then started to concentrate on it more and more as players continue to say it. So no, he didn’t count it, he realised many Irish players said it and made an assumption based on that… The Irish team was VERY confident at the time and I do believe they believed they were going to win the World Cup, which borders a bit on the arrogant side…
29 Go to commentsI can see how some of the Irish players would have said”see you in the final” as a gentle comment after a victory. It’s open to interpretation but it’s clumsy language. I don’t know the fella but I assure you Eben doesn’t have an axe to grind with Ireland. He has never been the media seeking pro. Oh and BTW it is I’ll be our winter in July so won’t be wet.
29 Go to comments*McCloskey*: _I saw this clip. Like, I wasn’t playing that game; I was in the stands…so you don't know sh!t in other words, infact you know just as much as Goode on this matter. I will believe the guy who was on the pitch when things were said as appose to two people speculating over what was said._
29 Go to comments@ turlough dream on buddy. Your boys are in for one tough time down in sa this summer…
29 Go to commentsI think Goode is looking to establish a platform for himself. Eben said “Probably” so that suggests he wasn’t counting. It’s an estimate Goode. I think even with your short and uneventful experience with the Sharks you probably realise winding up Saffas will get you some airtime. It’s a none event. Move on
29 Go to commentsRugby has never been as structured and synthetically pleasing as it is at this moment. The game is simply beautiful and messing with it too much will ruin it for everyone. I can't help but feel that over the past decade or so many rules have been changed to accommodate a certain hemisphere and counter another. Perhaps I am wrong but I somehow don’t think so.
2 Go to commentsNoted some excellent defensive steals from the Rebs last week against the Reds, largely J Canham, I think. It’s not a Rolls Royce but they are a real threat with their defensive line out at the beginning matches. What do you make of Canham Nick, WBs squad material?
86 Go to commentsCoin flip between Ardie and Scott Barrett. Both have their pros and cons, and both would probably be decent. Ardie has way more passion on the field, but that hasn’t always translated into the best decisions. They will both turn 34 at the next World Cup, so both will most likely have their best days a few years behind them. It’s hard to imagine now, but looking at young players coming through Ardie will probably be under the most pressure to retain his place in the team. Beauden Barrett also an outside chance if Razor sees him as the first choice 10.
9 Go to comments