| Gloucester: (5) 22 |
| Tries: Varney, Tuisue, Socino, Chapman; Con: Carreras |
| Bordeaux-Begles: (17) 17 |
| Tries: Falatea, Willis; Pen: Holmes; Cons: Holmes 2 |
Gloucester produced a superb late comeback to snatch victory against Bordeaux Begles in the Heineken Champions Cup at Kingsholm.
Bordeaux led 17-5 when Albert Tuisue kicked off a late flurry of tries in the 64th minute.
Santiago Socino was the next to go over, before Santiago Carreras missed a conversion that would have tied the score at 17-17.
In the end it was not needed as Charlie Chapman scored to seal victory.
Gloucester turn things around
Gloucester sit fourth in the Premiership but did not initially bring any of that promise to the cup competition as they made repeated errors.
Instead, it was an ominous start from Bordeaux as prop Sipili Falatea ran between defenders to score after two minutes and Zack Holmes added the conversion and a penalty for a 10-0 lead.
Gloucester were dominant in the scrum but inaccuracy cost them several scoring chances. Santiago Socino did help them convert one as the hooker made an excellent break that led to Stephen Varney’s try.
Former Wasps number eight Tom Willis later twisted over the try-line and managed to ground the ball to extend Bordeaux’s lead just before the break.
Gloucester continued to squander chances in the second half, with prop Fraser Balmain’s removal from the pitch on a stretcher providing further bad news for home fans.
But then came the turn. First, the hugely impactful replacement forward Tuisue drove through tackles to score before Socino went over off a line-out.
Chapman finished off a series of slick offloads for his score to give Gloucester a bonus-point win in the opening game of the competition.
The Cherry and Whites have a tough road ahead, with a trip to Bordeaux and home and away fixtures against four-time champions Leinster left on their group-stage agenda.
Line-ups
Gloucester: Evans; Hearle, Harris, Atkinson, May; Carreras, Varney; Rupava Ruskin, Socino, Balmain, Jordan, Alemanno, Clarke, Ludlow, Morgan.
Replacements: Blake, Elrington, Knight, Tuisue, Clement, Chapman, Twelvetrees, Reeves
Bordeaux Begles: Buros; Cordero, Vili, Mori, Cros; Holmes, Lucu; Kaulashvili, Lamothe, Faletea, Douglas, Roussel, Giammarioli, Diaby, Willis
Replacements: Maynadier, Vaotoa, Cobilas, Cazeaux. Timu, Gimbert, Masse, Bielle-Biarrey
