Yellow cards crucial as Gloucester fall to a fifth successive loss

Leicester wing Ollie Hassell-Collins scored two tries as Gloucester’s miserable form continued in a 38-20 loss for a fifth consecutive Gallagher Premiership defeat.

Saracens and Bath had previously won at Kingsholm this season but Gloucester were in contention to stop the rot until George Barton and Jack Clement were sin-binned in quick succession midway through the second half.

In their absence, Leicester scored 14 points and it proved decisive with Julian Montoya and Solomone Kata also on the try-scoring sheet. Handre Pollard added four penalties and three conversions.

George McGuigan and Jamal Ford-Robinson scored Gloucester’s tries, with Barton kicking two penalties and two conversions. Pollard kicked Leicester into a third-minute lead before Barton missed the chance to level the scores when his 30-metre penalty rebounded back off a post.

Barton soon made amends by succeeding with a more difficult kick from the halfway line before Pollard was given another kickable opportunity. However, Tigers opted for an attacking lineout and it proved the wrong call as stubborn defence kept out a succession of forward drives from the visitors’ pack.

Gloucester were able to relieve the pressure thanks to being awarded a couple of penalties and from the second, Barton missed the chance to give his side the lead for the first time. The first 25 minutes were featureless and forgettable as both sides failed to take advantage of the ideal playing conditions and it came as no surprise that the next scoring opportunity came via a penalty.

It went Gloucester’s way but Barton again hit the post before his second success, a simple one, put his side in front. Pollard responded with two penalties in quick succession before Tigers scored the opening try in the 38th minute.

A kick from Freddie Steward won his side a five-metre scrum and after a number of phases, a long pass from the full-back gave Hassell-Collins the chance to round Santiago Carreras and score to give Leicester a 14-6 interval lead.

The second half continued in a similar vein with both scrum-halves, Micky Young and Ben Youngs, still content to launch the ball skywards at every opportunity. However, Gloucester got back into contention with a try from McGuigan as a result of an unstoppable lineout drive with Leicester’s lock, Ollie Chessum, yellow-carded for a high challenge.

The game looked set for a momentum swing but Barton immediately followed Chessum to the bin for a high challenge on Pollard and the Tigers soon benefitted with a try from skipper Montoya.

Gloucester’s woes continued when No8 Clement was sin-binned for a deliberate offside, with their opponents capitalising by scoring the best try of the match. On halfway, Steward fielded a clearance for Jasper Wiese to make ground before skilful handling sent Hassell-Collins over for his second.

Ford-Robinson reduced the arrears with Gloucester’s second try but Tigers sealed victory with a fourth penalty from Pollard and a bonus-point try from Kata.

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