In the event this match was nothing to do with the result and everything to do with performance. Easily the worse Premiership match for many seasons, and I have seen them all in the last 5.

Here was a team devoid of idea’s, showing  no ambition, lacking in basic skills, and having lost their last 7 games ! but somehow Gloucester contrived to reduce a Leicester side to their level and beyond. There is no doubt that the Tigers surpassed their hosts in every facet of ineptitude with this performance.

By far and away the worst performance of the Cockerill era but even then we could have snatched a draw or even a win right at the death.

A subdued Kingsholm greeted the final whistle as if the world cup had been secured and perhaps after such a poor run you could understand why but even that can not mask such a woeful attempt at entertainment by 2 of the top teams for many seasons.

Injuries, international call ups and last minute changes, sounded more like the Leicester of recent weeks and the Gloucester fans were rightly nervous when the influential fly half Robinson and the dangerous Simpson-Daniel were omitted form the team originally announced, things got worse for them when  Olly Morgan withdrew in the warm up.

Tigers kicked off and the early exchanges were promising. Some quick ball away from the breakdown and pace out wide saw Leicester on the attack in the Glaws 22.

A fairly aimless cross field kick from Hamilton caused confusion in the Gloucester ranks when Voyce let it bounce when it would have been easier to catch and they ended up carrying over for a Tigers 5 metre scrum.

Enter Mr Sean Davey easily the man of the match. Tonight he decided we should adopt the Southern hemisphere school of refereeing the scrum, ie we don’t have any. I think is was as late as the 30^th  minute when a scrum was finally allowed to take its full course and the ball actually emerged. In every other engagement a free kick or penalty was awarded randomly at the point the front rows went down.

It was from one such incident about 20 metres out that Staunton slotted the first penalty to make it 3 – nil Tigers.

Leicester had easily the better of the first quarter and should have been further ahead.

Burns drafted in at 10 for Gloucester looked nervous and persisted most of the game in aimless Kicks which seemed to cause us more concern. In turn we kicked aimlessly back or ran into on the crash and got turned over.

Gloucester would kick again and the whole pattern repeated itself. A more energetic drive by the Gloucester forwards saw them into the Tigers 22 and from the inevitable penalty Burns levelled the score.

Bizarrely it was from the 2^nd Gloucester score that we had our best chance of a try. The ref was already playing a penalty advantage when Burns slotted an angled drop goal to make it 6 -3 to Gloucester. So delighted were the Glaws team that they ran back congratulating each other and left a huge hole in midfield where only Voyce almost on his own try line was between Staunton and the centre spot. Sensing this Jezza took a delicate kick off rolled over the 10 metre and collected his own kick with backs running on at pace the ball came right to Crane who with men inside him went head down for the touch line and the opportunity was lost.

As the game progressed and the ambition of both sides never rose above the dank, cold grass Gloucester had a penalty about 35 meters out . Burns struck it well but it veered across the face and hit the right hand post. Leicester were alert enough to collect the rebound and clear to touch.

The half ended 6 -3 Gloucester and as Meffin Davies and Aaron Mauger continued their technical discussion with Mr Davey about the scrum engagement you just new that Cockers would already be sat in the referees room ready to hand him his cup of tea and enquire what was going  !

You really hoped that the second half would raise its self but from a Tigers perspective it was one of those nights.  The game was played between the half way and tigers 22 with a spell of 10 minutes when Gloucester were camped on our line. 

Staunton and Burns had traded penalties and Burns had hit another sweet drop goal in preference to a 3 man overlap.

Chuter replaced Davies to try his luck in the front row lottery and King Carlos replaced Burns the boot.

It was obvious by this time that a 6 point lead would be a winning margin and at 12 -9 Gloucester went for the kill. In a prolonged period of 10 or 15 minutes they pressed the Tigers try line. Some stout defending and some inept attacking saw us keep them out. Penalties were kicked to touch and throw ins not straight, scrums were turned over and relieving penalties conceded.

In one hapless passage where the Glaws pack tried to pick and go on 5 occasions and made no progress, Spencer at Fly Half lost patience and charged into the ruck himself. You thought to free the ball and give his backs ago but no, in an almost comical play he pulled his own forwards off the ground and marshalled them around the base for yet another drive. More stout defence from Tigers penalty turn over and we cleared our lines.

Staunton’s kick missed touch and a splendid run back by Voyce down the left was only halted by a last gasp tackle by Hamilton that earnt him a yellow card for not rolling away.  The penalty kick was missed by Spencer and you almost knew Leicester would get a final chance.

From the 22 drop we recovered the ball and drove just over the half way line. Penalty Leicester. Staunton took a knock and was in the processes of being replaced by Toby Flood. So Ben Youngs stepped up and gave it a real thump but it drifted left.

Tigers regained the ball from the restart and with less than 3 minutes left finally showed some urgency. Why oh why do we leave it this late and then raise our game.

First Youngs made a break round the base of the ruck and then Parling with a fantastic run almost made it to the line, the ball came out quick to Flood then Mauger and Allen and with the line beckoning a poor pass to Tuqiri had him stretching and knocking on.

Game over and cue delirious scenes from the Gloucester team. If we had played for 30 minutes like we played for the last 3 this game would have been a rout.

There is no doubt a half decent Glaws side would have put 30 points on us tonight but equally a half decent Leicester performance would have done the same to them.

A real opportunity lost and a far cry from the heady evening of the Springboks game 2 weeks ago. For Glaws this may just provide the boost their season needs, for Tigers, its one to forget and move on.

One poor game doesn’t make a bad team, the look on the players faces at the end said it all, they know they underperformed a match that was ripe for the taking and will I am sure put it right. I for one am off to buy my Wasps tickets…. Away games….. I love em’

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• Gloucester v Tigers Gallery - GP10 - Round 08
• Kingsholm = Tigers second home
• Tigers take on the world champions