Second-half blitz sees Gloucester past Cardiff

Gloucester produced a stunning second-half display to beat Cardiff Blues 46-26 in the European Challenge Cup and avoid a repeat of last season's quarter-final exit.

The Premiership side were beaten by Newport Gwent Dragons at this stage 12 months ago and they trailed Cardiff by three after the opening 40 minutes at Kingsholm.

That deficit grew to six soon after the restart but there was to be no repeat of last year's heartache as Gloucester turned on the style in a devastating 13-minute spell.

Jonny May began the comeback as he collected Billy Twelvetrees' cross-kick to score, before Tom Marshall and Mark Atkinson also touched down to put Gloucester 41-26 ahead.

Cardiff emptied their bench to try and provide a late boost but it was not to be for the Pro12 side, and it will be Gloucester - who saw Henry Purdy cross in the closing minutes - who face La Rochelle in the semi-finals.

FULL TIME

Bring on the semi finals!@gloucesterrugby 46-26 @cardiff_blues pic.twitter.com/wUX4B7oFEt

— Gloucester Rugby (@gloucesterrugby) April 1, 2017

Bath are also into the last four after a decisive first-half blitz against Brive at The Rec, the Premiership side scoring 20 points thanks to tries from Taulupe Faletau, Tom Homer and Semesa Rokoduguni.

Faletau and Rokoduguni added to their tallies after the break to complete a 34-20 win, Fabien Sanconnie's double unable to revive Brive.

Coach Todd Blackadder was pleased with his side's display but knows Bath - who will play either Ospreys or Stade Francais next - must improve if they are to remain in the competition.

"We started out with plenty of intent, and I am pleased with the result, although we can be so much better than what we were in the second half," Blackadder said.

"We wanted to ask a lot of questions and put Brive under the pump. I felt we did that in the first half, but in the second half, we had so many opportunities but didn't make the most of them.

"They asked a lot of questions, but we can certainly be better than we were in the second half.

"I was pleased with our intent, we tried to play, and we changed our mindset from where it had been."