Christian Wade bows out of rugby union with a brace and a victory

Jack Cotgreave scored a hat-trick of tries as Gloucester completed their season in style with a bonus-point 41-26 victory over spirited Northampton at a sold-out Kingsholm.

However, the five points achieved were not enough to secure Gloucester a play-off spot, as they were squeezed out of fourth place by victories for Sale and Bristol.

Christian Wade added a brace with Seb Atkinson and Tomos Williams also on the try-scoring sheet for Gloucester. Santiago Carreras added three conversions.

Saints made 14 changes from last week’s heroic effort in the Champions Cup final but went toe to toe with Gloucester throughout and were rewarded with tries from Tom Pearson, Tom Litchfield, Jonny Weimann and Iakopo Mapu, three of which were converted by Rory Hutchinson.

It took Gloucester just four minutes to open the scoring when a free-flowing move provided Cotgreave with an easy run-in.

However Saints’ response was swift with a strong run from Ollie Sleightholme creating the opportunity for Pearson to crash over.

Northampton then suffered a blow when their captain for the day, Ed Prowse, was helped off in a dazed state to be replaced by Callum Hunter-Hill but they immediately overcame this setback with Litchfield forcing his way over.

The hosts then produced a carbon copy of the move that resulted in their opener and it looked to have paid dividends when Cotgreave touched down, only for TMO replays to show that the wing had put a foot in touch.

It mattered little as minutes later, Cotgreave did score his second when long passes from Williams and Atkinson opened up the defence before Wade picked off a telegraphed pass to motor in from half-way.

That interception try was a hammer blow for Saints and they full further behind when Freddie Clarke burst away to set up the bonus-point try for Williams.

On the stroke of half-time, Gloucester’s prop, Afolabi Fasogbon, was sin-binned for a deliberate off-side but his side still held a 22-14 interval lead.

Saints capitalised on Fasogbon’s absence when Weimann darted over but Cotgreave completed his hat-trick to keep the visitors at arm’s length before the twinkling feet of Wade set up a try for Atkinson.

Saints refused to lie down and were rewarded with a try from replacement Mapu after a line-out drive but Gloucester had the final say when Wade finished off from half-way with the final move of the match.