'I took it personally': Ellis Genge on tunnel incident with rookie prop

Ellis Genge admitted to a simmering rivalry with Afo Fasogbon after the pair were involved in a heated tunnel exchange during Bristol Bears’ emphatic 53–12 Gallagher PREM win over Gloucester at Ashton Gate.

The England loosehead was caught up in a brief skirmish as the teams walked off at half-time following a remarkable first-half spell that left Gloucester reeling.

The flashpoint came after a first half that was about as punishing as Gloucester have endured all season. Pat Lam’s side ran in five tries before the break, including a double from wing Kalaveti Ravouvou, with Kieran Marmion, Fitz Harding and a penalty try adding to the damage.

Bristol went into the break 33–12 up and Gloucester weren’t happy. The resulting tussle between Genge and Fasogbon echoed incidents in previous seasons between the two front-rowers. Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Genge admitted the moment was not without history, namely Fasogbon rubbing Genge’s face in it after dominating the scrum battle between the pair.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take it personally a few years back when he waved at me when I was walking off the pitch,” said Genge.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take it personally a few years back when he waved at me when I was walking off the pitch.”

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“I seen him [Fasogbon] grab Jim [second-row James Dunn]. I think he said he was breaking something up but I don’t know. I think I’m sometimes tarnished with the brush of a hot head but I think the animosity and violence in rugby is what people crave.

“We should embody it and not shy away from it. Look, he’s a young talent. I’m sure he’ll have me again at some point but I’m buzzing with our tight five; we won that battle today.”

Bristol set the tone almost immediately, stringing together 20 phases from kick-off before Marmion crossed from close range. Gloucester’s nightmare start worsened when hooker Seb Blake was yellow-carded for head-on-head contact with Genge and later failed a head injury assessment, cutting short his evening.

Although Gloucester briefly responded through full-back George Barton after a charged-down clearance, Bristol were relentless. Ravouvou finished off a sweeping move moments later and then powered through again three minutes on, opening up a commanding early lead.

Further yellow cards for Charlie Atkinson and Josiah Edwards-Giraud left Gloucester stretched beyond breaking point, Harding benefiting before the Bears were awarded a penalty try right on the cusp of half-time. Deian Gwynne’s late score, converted by Barton, was little more than a footnote on a bruising opening 40 minutes.

It was in that context, Gloucester’s frustration at the contest having already been effectively decided, that the half-time tunnel incident unfolded. The confrontation briefly involved a handful of players but did little to slow Bristol’s momentum after the interval.

Fly-half Tom Jordan sliced through early in the second half, James Williams adding the conversion, before hooker Gabriel Oghre’s try pushed the hosts closer to the half-century mark.

Two late Jordan penalties completed the rout.