Gloucester battle past Wasps
Gloucester recorded their first Aviva Premiership home win since February courtesy of a 29-22 success over Wasps at Kingsholm.
Last Updated: 22/09/12 5:35pm
Gloucester recorded their first Aviva Premiership home win since February courtesy of a 29-22 success over Wasps at Kingsholm.
Fly-half Freddie Burns booted 19 points, including conversions of both Gloucester tries by wing James Simpson-Daniel and flanker Sione Kalamafoni.
Wasps left the west country with a losing bonus point after centre Eliot Daly's quality try, 11 points for fly-half Stephen Jones and penalties by full-back Tommy Bell and substitute Nicky Robinson.
Gloucester started the game at a rapid tempo, sparked by scrum-half Dan Robson's break that was taken on by his forwards and ended with Burns diving over Wasps' line.
But the video referee ruled in Wasps' favour, which helped to settle them down and resulted in a sharp riposte which ended with Jones slotting an eighth-minute penalty.
Burns quickly drew Gloucester level, though, and then after he landed a long-range penalty the home side extended their advantage in vintage Simpson-Daniel fashion.
30-metre run
The former England wing was freed wide out before he left four Wasps defenders clutching thin air during an angled 30-metre run for the 63rd Premiership try of his career.
Burns converted and matters deteriorated for Wasps just five minutes later when an unmarked Kalamafoni pinched possession at the back of a ruck and stormed over for a try, despite Joe Simpson's spirited defensive work.
Burns again added the extras but, with Gloucester still patting themselves on the back, Wasps struck from Jones' restart through an opportunist Daly touchdown that Jones converted.
Bell further narrowed the gap deep into first-half injury time when he booted a penalty from five metres inside his own half.
Gloucester old boy Robinson arrived off the replacements' bench for Darren Dawidiuk to kick Wasps within losing bonus-point range, which prompted a nervous closing few minutes for the home team, but committed defence kept Wasps at bay.
It was frantic at times for Gloucester and they were helped by Wasps' lack of attacking composure but there was no way through for the visitors, who lacked try-scoring ideas at crucial times.
