BUCS University League – Premier League South

Gloucestershire 8 

Loughborough University 50

Loughborough put down a marker to the rest of the competition with an emphatic 50-8 demolition of Gloucestershire, scoring nine tries to ensure top spot in Premier South.

Eight different players crossed the whitewash while Matt Brewer was on target with seven of his kicks at goal.

It was a disastrous start from the home side who needed a good win to dispel the disappointment of the 59-16 defeat they had suffered in the Midlands back in November.

However, with ten minutes on the watch they were already 18 points down and looking down the barrel of an even more emphatic towelling.

Loughborough were outstanding in the first period, sharp in attack and hard in defence and any opportunity they were offered they took ruthlessly.

They took the lead in the third minute through Lewis Lord who simply ran through a static defence from a quickly taken penalty and once they had the game by the scruff of the neck, they never let go.

Matt Brewer added the goal and converted James Phillip’s try three minutes later. Brewer then snaffled Liam Rice-Wilson’s pass to race 70 metres to the posts for the third and the visitors were in total charge.

Gloucestershire were forced into a late change when Archie Gibbs was injured in the warm up and they brought in Matt Ham on the wing with Josh Williams moving to fullback.

The changes couldn’t have helped but were not the reason for the disastrous showing. Tackles were missed and organisation was lacking though they held out for ten minutes before the next Loughborough score arrived - Jack Medcroft sliding over out wide with the defence hopelessly scattered.

That score followed a brief period of hope for the home side but four consecutive sets at the Loughborough end of the field ended with no reward.

Frustration boiled over and James Mason was shown the yellow card for a late hit on Rob Meadows.

Immediately Loughborough extended their lead, Jack Howdle forcing his way over out wide and then the Loughborough captain went over again right on half time to give his side a 34-0 lead.

Mason made up for his earlier discretion taking a well-timed pass to power over for an unconverted try 12 minutes into the second period but the fightback never really materialised as Loughborough were next to score.

They spun the ball from one side of the field to the other searching for a gap that was eventually found by Callum Bonello.

From the restart, Meadows finished a length of the field move and that was really that.

All that was left was for Tom Slater to bring up the half century for the visitors and Danny Fallon to cross for a consolation score that really was no co