Gloucester book semi-final berth with 46-26 win over Cardiff Blues

Gloucester Rugby 46-26 Cardiff Blues, Kingsholm Stadium
Scorecard

Gloucester Rugby came up with a six-try performance to defeat Cardiff Blues by 46-26 in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final at Kingsholm on Saturday.

The first half was a fiercely competed with Cardiff Blues maintaining a slender three point lead but Gloucester upped the ante in the second half where they scored four tries to book their berth in the semi-final of the tournament.

Alex Cuthbert got Cardiff Blues off the mark with a fifth minute try but Ross Moriarty replied back with a try of his own to level the scores. After Billy Burns and Steve Shingler exchanged two penaltie, the scores remained equal at the end of 24 minutes.

Tom Marshall put Gloucester ahead by seven points when he danced past the post in the 25th minute allowing a conversion by Billy Twelvetrees. But a yellow card to Gloucester's Josh Hohneck in the 33rd minute saw Cuthbert scoring his second try. Anscombe kicked a drop goal at the stroke of half time to provide Blues with a slender three point lead.

Even though a 49th minute penalty from Shingler extended the lead for Blues to six points, Jonny May (54'), Marshall (58'), Mark Atkinson (65') and Henry Purdy (78') all strolled past the post for the hosts to seal a 20 point win for Gloucester.

Gloucester will now face La Rochelle in the semi final of the tournament on 21st April.