Gloucester lose Champions Cup place to last-gasp drop goal
Last Updated: 31/05/15 8:31pm
Gloucester will miss next season's Champions Cup after losing their play-off match to Bordeaux-Begles in Worcester.
A try from winger Henry Purdy as well as 17 points from the boot of Greig Laidlaw gave Gloucester a 22-20 lead as the clock ticked over 80 minutes, but a drop goal from Pierre Bernard robbed them of the win at the death.
Bordeaux-Begles were made to fight back from a deficit twice as 13 points from the boot of Bernard to go with two tries from winger Metuisela Talebula Maijaina were enough to get them over the line.
Gloucester romped to a big early lead thanks to a try from Purdy and faultless kicking from scrum-half Laidlaw. Laidlaw added a conversion and three penalties as Gloucester led 19-3 after 32 minutes.
Bordeaux-Begles were awarded a penalty three minutes later and they opted for another kick at goal to cut the deficit to 13 points. Disaster then struck for Gloucester as they strung together a promising attack before the ball was spilled in a tackle. The ball made its way to Metuisela Talebula Maijaina who ran almost the entire length of the field to make it 19-13 at half-time.
Bordeaux-Begles were the far better side in the initial stages of the second half, as they ran freely with ball in hand and seemed to find support runners at will. Gloucester's defence held firm but they struggled to get out of their own half.
With players tiring there were issues with the scrums constantly collapsing, and the referee eventually lost his patience with opposing props John Afoa and Jefferson Poirot, sending both to the bin. With neither side gaining a numerical advantage from the sin bin period, the score remained unchanged for those ten minutes.
The two props returned to the field after a Bordeaux-Begles penalty was put into touch for an attacking lineout, and the French side used the position to take the lead through Metuisela Talebula Maijaina's second try of the night and a conversion from Pierre Bernard.
With ten minutes remaining Bordeaux-Begles were attempting to run the ball out of their own half when they were penalised at a ruck. Laidlaw stepped up to give his side a two point lead.
Gloucester appeared to have done enough to win the game but with seconds remaining and with the ball in hand they were penalised. Bordeax-Begles set up the lineout at which point time was up and their throw-in would be the final play.
They set up a driving maul during which Gloucester infringed, prompting the referee to play a penalty advantage. Bernard was not interested in winning the game from the tee though, so the fly-half dropped into the pocket and called for the ball.
The Frenchman converted the drop goal from impressive distance to give his side a famous win in Worcester.