Lucky number 13 for Gloucester; Montpellier beat Cardiff at the death

by Lewis Hughes Thursday 17 December 2015

Greig Laidlaw

©Press Association

Gloucester set a record 13th consecutive Challenge Cup victory with a 27-13 triumph over Worcester at Kingsholm.

Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw was responsible for 22 of Gloucester's final point tally including a try, with ex-Worcester flanker Matt Kvesic the other Cherry and Whites star to cross the whitewash.

Ben Howard claimed Worcester's solitary try, but reigning Challenge Cup champions Gloucester are all but assured of a place in the tournament's knockout stages with four successive victories to leave them in control at the top of Pool Four.

Meanwhile in Pool Three, Demetri Catrakilis converted Paul Willemse's try with the clock dead to rob Cardiff Blues of a memorable win in Montpellier in Pool Three.

Cardiff led 22-16 as the game edged into its final play, but the Welsh region could not hold out as Willemse crossed the whitewash with Catrakilis kicking the extras to complete the smash-and-grab raid.

A try from winger Alex Cuthbert along with three penalties and a conversion from fly-half Rhys Patchell had put Cardiff 16-6 to the good, with Catrakilis on target with two penalties of his own in response.

Julien Malzieu's converted try put Montpellier back in contention, before Jarrod Evans' two penalties stretched Cardiff's lead to five points heading into the dying exchanges.