Gloucester ride out second half wobble
LIFE during the 2017-18 season looks like being another emotional Big Dipper for the loyal inhabitants of Kingsholm.
Following the euphoria of the opening night victory against champions Exeter, this nervy win against Worcester was a proper nail-shredder for The Shed.
Gloucester looked home and hosed in the early stages of the second half when the impressive Billy Twelvetrees polished off a slaloming Henry Trinder break to make it 24-6.
But Worcester’s resolve – which for long stretches appeared to have been lost somewhere along the M5 – was finally located. And with an increasingly assured-looking Ryan Mills guiding them around the park from both boot and hand, the Warriors nearly pinched this match.
With Gloucester forced to play the final seven minutes with 14 men due to replacement Tom Savage being forced off by another brutal tackle by Christian Scotland-Williamson, Worcester had the scent of upset. But a fumble and a turnover saw Warriors’ hopes of an unlikely fightback extinguished.
Gloucester defence coach Jonny Bell was a relieved man. “Worcester made life tough for us and it took some real mettle to stick it out,” he said. “I’m delighted we won the game. “We know that’s a bonus point missed and we’ve got to be better.”
Indeed they do, otherwise another season of mid-tolower- table mediocrity beckons for Gloucester. The Cherry and Whites’ lineout was dysfunctional, they struggled for territory, and killer instinct was absent.
Not that there weren’t positives. Jason Woodward was a slippery handful in the opening quarter and caused all manner of merry mayhem. And Twelvetrees was quietly superb.
The former England centre, whose playmaking aplomb have yet to register on Eddie Jones’ radar, played a crucial hand in both of Gloucester’s early tries, dug in at the breakdown, and was always alive to a potential off-load.
For Worcester, Ben Te’o pumped his knees and deployed his fearsome fend to potent effect, and Ryan Mills – returning from injury against his former club – grew in prominence to become a dominant force in the second half.
Worcester head coach Carl Hogg said: “Ryan’s got a smart rugby intellect and gives us leadership from 10.
He’s a quality player and it’s great to have him back.
“Next week we’re looking to get Francois Hougaard back in the country and that gives us some strong options at nine and ten.”
For all that, though, Worcester remain winless after four matches – and they will lose many more games if they begin as slowly as they did here.
With captain Donncha O’Callaghan sin-binned in the eighth minute for not retreating, Worcester conceded 17 points while down to 14 men. Wing Ollie Thorley twice finished well for Gloucester, while Billy Burns kicked seven points.
Mills chipped over two penalties for Worcester to make it 17-6 at half time before Trinder, who had only just stepped onto the field, produced the score of the evening. His searing break was punctuated by a slick one-two with Willi Heinz before Twelvetrees dotted down.
Perry Humphreys’ late brace gave Worcester hope and Gloucester a nasty case of the wobbles.
CLOSE-UP
BILLY BURNS V RYAN MILLS
Gloucester fly-half Worcester fly-half
There were early signs of rustiness from Mills, making his first appearance of the season after hip and shoulder injuries. He kicked out on the full at a restart during a chaotic opening, while Burns was a model of consistency with the boot. But as the game wore on Mills edged ahead of Burns, guiding his pack around with smartness and accuracy, and delivering an exquisite crossfield kick for Perry Humphreys’ second try.
