Gloucester boss Bryan Redpath heaped praise on returning flanker Akapusi Qera after his side's bonus-point victory over Dragons.
Gloucester boss delighted with Dragons display
Gloucester boss Bryan Redpath heaped praise on returning flanker Akapusi Qera after his hat-trick inspired the Cherry and Whites to a bonus-point victory over Newport Gwent Dragons
The Guinness Premiership side gained the consolation prize of a place in this season's Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals after ending their Heineken Cup Pool Two campaign with a 32-23 win at Rodney Parade.
They now drop down into the second-tier tournament where they will be joined by five group winners of that competition and two other Heineken Cup sides.
"There was a quarter-final place at stake today, and it is a big thing," said Redpath after the match.
"It was a big match for us. A European quarter-final gives us something to look forward to.
Handful
"We haven't had a great record away from home, and we were aware of that. We got the four tries that we needed."
Fijian flanker Qera was Gloucester's star performer, scoring a hat-trick of tries before the bonus point was sealed through a 74th-minute penalty try.
Redpath added: "Qera is a talent, a handful when he plays like that. It is great to see him back from injury.
"I was frustrated with our first-half performance - we did not look energised - but we were a lot stronger in the second period, particularly the forwards.
"To score four tries away from home is a good return."
The Dragons, six points clear at the break, managed a Rhodri Gomer-Davies try and late Ashley Smith touchdown, plus two penalties, a drop-goal and conversion from James Arlidge, and one Jason Tovey conversion.
But Gloucester were good value for the win, condemning the Dragons to a sixth-successive defeat in all competitions.
"All in all, we made too many errors," said Dragons head coach Paul Turner.
Struggling
"The error-count allowed Gloucester too much momentum, and we conceded points. We have got to show a bit more resolve when the going gets tough.
"If you make a couple of mistakes, then good sides tend to punish you.
"I was quite confident going into the game - Gloucester are not a great away team - but it is tough when you start the second half like we started it."
Turner, meanwhile, moved to allay any fitness fears surrounding Dragons and Wales lock Luke Charteris ahead of this season's RBS Six Nations Championship.
Charteris has been struggling with a shoulder problem and missed the Gloucester defeat, but Turner added: "He probably could have played today, but we kept him back for the national side.
"We could have played him, but it would not have done Luke any favours with the Six Nations coming up."
