Gallagher Premiership
Newcastle (5) 12
Tries: Stevenson, Davis Con: Connon
Gloucester (21) 26
Tries: Harris, Penalty, Atkinson, Cotgreave Cons: Carreras 2
Gloucester ensured they remain in with a shot at the play-offs going into the final round of the Premiership with a 26-12 win at bottom side Newcastle.
The victory Gloucester’s first away since November in the league moves them up a place to fifth, two points behind Bristol who were beaten by Sale.
Ben Stevenson’s try got Newcastle on the front foot but Chris Harris, a penalty try and Seb Atkinson put Gloucester 21-5 up, before Jack Cotgreave sealed the crucial bonus point with a fourth try.
Replacement Joe Davis’ stylish try capped a brilliant Stevenson run but the winger was shown a red card late on as Newcastle saw out the game with 14 men.
Gloucester must now beat Northampton Saints at home on 31 May and hope other results go their way to stand a chance of making the top four.
After a lacklustre performance against Harlequins six days ago dented the Cherry and Whites’ play-off hopes, director of rugby George Skivington said before kick-off that their season was “on the line” at Kingston Park.
The early pressure was all from Newcastle however. After two attempts at the Gloucester line came up short they put the first points on the board with their third as neat build-up play from the soon-to-depart Callum Chick and Jamie Blamire helped Stevenson dive into the corner.
Gloucester’s attack was repeatedly misfiring despite plenty of possession and it was not until 17 minutes they retaliated, as three quick passes from a line-out saw Harris touch down behind the posts.
Newcastle were their own worst enemy and went down to 13 men, as Chick was sent to the sin-bin for a cynical challenge at the breakdown and Cameron Neild followed two minutes later, for collapsing a maul and a penalty try was given.
With two back rowers missing the gaps opened, and from the restart Gloucester played straight out from the back.
Atkinson threw a dummy and made the break, before a one-two with Tomos Williams saw him race clear to make it 21-5.
Harris and Ruan Ackermann are among the 19 players confirmed to be leaving Gloucester this summer and the latter thought he had their bonus-point score when he charged down Sam Stuart’s kick and sprinted over, only to see it scratched off for offside.
Harris was then shown yellow early in the second half but Newcastle could not capitalise, with Ackermann turning the ball over as they took a tap-and-go penalty within inches of the line.
After scoring his first Premiership try a week ago, 19-year-old winger Cotgreave had his second on his first league start, as he was picked out with a long ball from Atkinson.
Steve Diamond hailed his players’ “remarkable” resilience earlier this week and Newcastle were far from down and out as Stevenson’s searing run from deep inside his own half, set up a sensational try finished off by Davis.
Freddie Lockwood was held up over the line but Stevenson was then shown red for a dangerously mis-timed tackle that took out Santiago Carreras in the air, as the hosts fell to a 15th defeat this season.
Newcastle: Obatoyinbo; Redshaw, Hearle, Arnold, Stevenson; Connon, Stuart; Brocklebank, Blamire, McCallum; Hawkins, De Chaves, Neild, Gordon, Chick.
Replacements: Byrne, Rewcastle, De Bruin, Usher, Lockwood, Davis, Spencer, Pepper,
Sin bin: Chick (21 mins), Neild (23 mins)
Red card: Stevenson (72 mins)
Gloucester: Carreras; Wade, Harris, Atkinson, Cotgreave; Anscombe, Williams; Knight, Singleton, Gotovtsev; Clark, Clarke, Thomas, Ludlow, Ackermann.
Replacements: Blake, Ford-Robinson, Fasogbon, Jordan, Tuisue, Englefield, Atkinson, Butler
Sin bin: Harris (44 mins)
Referee: Matthew Carley
