European Challenge Cup

Treviso 0 Gloucester 41

GLOUCESTER grabbed a bonus point victory in pool one of the European Challenge Cup on Saturday at Benetton Treviso.

It was a difficult afternoon for the Gloucester squad and management after Treviso’s Stadio Comunale di Monigo was adjudged unplayable because of snow and ice.

So the match was switched to Treviso’s 4G training pitch which was similar to the one used by Gloucester at Hartpury College.

And the Cherry and Whites went 3-0 early on when captain Greig Laidlaw booted a penalty.

Gloucester went over for the first touchdown of the game on 19 minutes when England wing Jonny May took the ball and feed Charlie Sharples to give full-back James Hook the try, which Laidlaw converted for a 10-0 lead.

Gloucester, with Dursley number eight Ben Morgan prominent, had the territory and possession and when further ahead just before the interval when lock Jeremy Thrush took a line-out ball, the pack gathered around in a driving maul and hooker Richard Hibbard was at the back of it to score the try.

Laidlaw booted a conversion wide out and went into the break with a 17-0 lead.

Treviso gave Gloucester something to think about after the interval but, while they had the ball, they did not get over the Cherry and Whites line.

And, just before the hour, they went further ahead when centre Matt Scott charged over the line, with Billy Burns converting.

The bonus point try came after 25 minutes of the second-half as the pack drove over the line with Hibbard getting his second touchdown of the match. Burns missed the conversion but Gloucester were well in command at 29-0.

And, right at the end, David Halifonua picked up a loose ball and went over for a fifth Gloucester try as Treviso were waiting for the final whistle.

Burns missed the conversion and but he converted the last try as Billy Twelvetrees ran across in injury time.

The Cherry and Whites took the victory and look to a home clash with Bayonne next weekend at Kingsholm for another bonus point win as they contend with La Rochelle for the top spot.