When the powerhouse flanker claimed his second score just before the hour the hosts had banked the bonus point required to clinch qualification.
The Cherry and Whites were also at this point leading 27-12 and with their scrum dominant it seemed the Cov floodgates might open. However, the arrival of visitors’ bench brought renewed conviction and as a result Alex Rae’s team scored 19 points in a golden 12-minute spell to enter the closing stages with a four-point advantage.
But as Gloucester piled on the pressure Cov replacement hooker Suva Ma’asi went to the sinbin and eventually the hosts worked Jack Reeves into the corner for the match-clinching score.
Gloucester coach Dom Waldouck said his team did well to emerge victorious from this stretching encounter.
This story is from the October 08, 2023 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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This story is from the October 08, 2023 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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