Our 13 points came via an early penalty, a short range try by our new prop Delon, and another penalty in the first action of the second half.Gloucester scored 3 penalties, the third of which came when Topsy made a try-saving tackle and got himself binned for slowing the release. That was the crucial move of the match. With 12 minutes to go, a harum-scarum handling move saw Gloucester attack the length of the field. Topsy came from nowhere to make a last ditch flying tackle 3 metres from our line, his arm appeared to be trapped underneath the tackled player and as he struggled to free it and roll away he accidentally spoiled quick release. The referee, whom I thought made a refreshing change from our English referees, mistakenly took this to be a cynical attempt at preventing a try, and gave him a yellow card. Where's the justice, eh ? At this point the score was 3-13, and Ludo Mercier took 3 points where 7 would have been expected.

London Irish supporters were overjoyed at the final whistle, as huge cheers and singing broke out. We had witnessed what many had suspected as they travelled – Gloucester can be beaten at Kingsholm. We continued singing 'The Fields' until our weary heroes emerged to acknowledge the fans, and the ground emptied of shell-shocked Gloucester fans. The stewards began looking twitchy, but we hung around united in our states of shock and awe, revelling in the atmosphere of a victory in the shadow of Gloucester cathedral. The odd-shaped eejit monks were magnificent all day, and even attempted a conga-line to celebrate. The mood had changed to satisfaction and talk of the table, and results from other matches. So you could say “We came, we saw, we conga'd”

The Craic build-up, and travel.

I took the Combined Harvester coach from the Swan having begged a lift from other supporters. Others came by train, by car, and some in a luxurious glitterballed stretch limo. Themselves the O'Mafia travelled in full bling gansta – style. Safe. Meanwhile we genteel folk were due to leave Reading at 12 but the coach was delayed from Sunbury due to an accident in London. But information was conveyed by mobile phone ( don't cha just love 'em ) and we spent the extra 30 mins creating empty glasses for Jenny. It's a lot more civilised than waiting at a windy bus stop, peering into the distance. So we quickly boarded at 12:30 and arrived at Kingsholm at 2:00.

New EEC directives regarding Health & Safety on coach travel means that “No Alcohol” is to be consumed on coaches. A bit of a shock to some, but we watched some DVDs and chatted as we sped down the M4 and A417. A pleasant, civilised journey in informed company, gave me a chance to meet some more of my fellow supporters. As the bus pulled in to Kingsholm we were greeted by the massed monks of the Odd-Shaped variety who had spilled on the pavement of the pub and were singing and chanting. We stepped off the warm luxury coach and into the biting wind and strong sunshine, and joined the happy band blowing up green balloons the size of space-hoppers. After a pint and some friendly chat with some Gloucester fans we took our places in the ground.

I bought a program and found the Helphire stand, behind the posts, Block A is closest the corner flag. Row U is 6 rows from the back and the seat 0001 is the widest. If there had been a seat beyond it would be in Cheltenham. I'll bring a marker pen next year to write “Chizelled fan woz ere”. From my perspective the pitch appeared square. I'm spoiled in the Unreserved East Madejski, of viewing the action as rectangular. Great view if you're watching snooker, squash, even tennis, but not rugby at that price, As the section filled with away supporters I found the
seat in front taken by a giant wig, thankfully without a hat, but I had to sit bolt upright to peer over it. The row next to me was empty, and I considered moving along from my abysmal seat to one which was merely appalling, but no, at 1 minute to 3 the crowd burst in to applause as one drunk monk after another emerged green clad from the bar. They appeared to be trying to drink their own weight in beer, it's a serious habit. Louder noise emerged as they took their seats which coincided with the entry of the home side to the field. So I attempted to take notes during the match, with the sun shining in my eyes, peering over a green wig next to some alcoholic garden gnomes. “Innit marvelous” I muttered in a grumpy Tony Hancock manner, as the game kicked off, London Irish attacking towards me.

Gnomes R Us

The Match

In the first minute Gloucester win their own lineout, and Irish drive through keenly, the referee awards a penalty 10m from the left touch, around 40m out. Mercier misses about 3m to the left but had the distance. The wind can be determined by little flags on the top of the posts, and appears right to left. The forecast said 15mph, and it was whistling down the Severn Valley with a biting force, and swirling around the various stands.I realise I'm shielded from it in the Helphire stand and am cheered slightly, and also by the miss.

In the 3rd minute Irish get a penalty for a Gloucester hand in a ruck which we take to touch, and win our lineout. We chip through and force the Gloucester full back Olly Morgan to take it into touch just inside their 22 on the right. In the subsequent lineout Gloucester are penalised for taking out Casey in the air as we throw long to our number 4. Flutey attempts the drop goal on the advantage but its wide. Or so they say. At this angle, who can tell ? It could be a conspiracy involving seat allocators and bribing the touch judges. Flutey takes the penalty and misses an easy one. My paranoia is only eased by the thought that the ball fell over on the tee, so I may have been rushed.

We win our next line out, gather a maul and box kick advancing down the field, pressing in attack again. There's some panic defence by Gloucester and the attack ends after we're adjudged to have thrown forward. But it's all Irish as we take the next scrum and are unlucky to be tip a ball forward after we touch the ball down for a try in front of me. So it's a 5m scrum to Gloucester which they secure and clear to touch.We win the lineout, of course, from about 30m out and run the ball back quickly attacking towards me from right to left. All the backs are involved as it goes through 6 pairs of hands at speed. The final ball to Topsy is just at his fingertips and it is spilled.

The first 15 minutes have been all London Irish and yet we have no points, both sides having missed penalties. Mercier a tough one, and Flutey an easier one regrettably.

More regret comes a minute later as Gloucester realise that they've weathered the storm and mount their first attack through hands. They spill the ball in front of the posts on our 22m, so its our scrum. Relief is short-lived as Faan Rautenbach is penalised for boring in, and Mercier knocks over an easy penalty.

3-0 after 15 minutes, the scoreboard says “Nice One, Ludo” and I say “Innit Marvellous” again. We really don't deserve to be behind after that roaring high energy opening spell, but we've sent a message, and quietened the knowledgeable home crowd.

Irish attack again making yards through the forwards, retaining and recycling then unleashing the backs. Its sometime slow, slow, quick, quick slow, and the home defence is desperate, so desperate they handle on the floor, again, but this time the referee sees it. From 25m out and bang in front Riki levels it with a confidently taken penalty. So that's 3-3 after 21 minutes, and the scoreboard keeps schtum and I say “Nice One, Rikeeeeeee”

On 24 minutes a brilliant run by the Gloucester no 9 Peter Richards ends with a bad pass. In retrospect this was a talisman for the Gloucester game, their forwards were not really there, and the backs took it upon themselves to try to run the ball from wherever and whenever.

26 minutes sees Irish attack by unleashing the speed of Topsy Ojo on to another box kick. It is tidied up by the full-back Olly Morgan who was brilliant, and was my Gloucester MOTM. Time and again he had Delon and Topsy bearing down on him, and cleared it up neatly. Mike Horak had less work to do, but apart from spilling one swirling ball coming out of the sun in front of the shed he was solid. However the lineout that Topsy gained was wasted on their 22m, the only one we lost all day, overthrown and taken at the back by Gloucester. But their respite was only temporary as our forwards soon gained the ball back and advanced us down the field. Magne and Leguizamon time and again snuffed out attacks, Kennedy broke free in the loose, and Bob Casey galloped around finding the small gaps. Neil Hatley and Faan Rautenbach got muddy quickly and stayed that way. Keiren Roche I should have mentioned earlier because his willing workrate is so high you think there could be 2 of them on the pitch. In the old days of scrum caps there was Bob n Nick. OK there was Naka and O'Sheas but they were distinctive. Now Leguizamon and Roche sport scrum caps, and the sun shines in your eyes, identification is harder. As a group around the park the forwards forced the Gloucester team to rethink their attack, primarily by avoiding contact. Second half tactics from Dean Ryan may have included the words “Well if any of you think you're being beaten up in contact, run it around them, like its the 7s training”. However, the first half still has much to offer.

33 minutes saw a try to the Irish. The lads had the sense to score it in front of the happy noisy fans in block A of the Helphire stand. In a stadium of around 12,000 capacity you have to allocate 500 seats to the visitors. They're never the best seats in those circumstances. Supply and demand, means bad value usually for the visitors. Yet because our magnificent team rewarded us by scoring at our feet, the view they afforded of their collective effort, gave value to the seats. Seat £22, try time at Kingsholm - priceless. This was wrestled over from close range, after a series of short drives we thought that Leguizamon would get over but he was pushed back at the line. The Irish gathered themselves with Magne in the centre, and Delon found himself press ganged from a scrum-half role and joined that happy throng. Justice perhaps for Declan Danaher being rewarded for the late try in Parma, with Delon being inches away. Here at Kingsholm Delon was credited in the bar afterwards for the grounding originally credited to Leguizamon. It was hard to see as 4 Irish bodies shoved back 3 of Gloucester. But as all tries are collective efforts this one was particularly so. We fans went wild as this was the reward for all the possession, territory, craft and graft we'd shown. So 3-8 to the Irish after 33 minutes.

As Riki had missed from 10 metres further in, I didn't hold my breath. But just to make me feel bad he nailed the conversion, from 5 metres in from the touchline. 3-10 to the Irish and we're making more noise than the rest of the stadium. This is what we came here for. “The Fields of Athenry” gives way to “Molly Malone”, and I tell you that Irish and non-Irish eyes were smiling. Not quite the “Maybe its Because I'm a Londoner” but we're singing. Because we're herded into a bad corner, a bunker mentality melds the monks, gnomes, wigs, jesters hatters, and the remaining glitterati of Irish supporters in to unit. We now believe that the sun is shining on our team, as well as in our eyes. My choice has been whether to shield my eyes, write notes, and avoid doing both by writing inadvertently on my forehead.

We finish the half strongly by turning the ball over in midfield at the breakdown, and using it adventurously with a chip ahead. The move has Gloucester in disarray, and I expect another try inside 2 minutes. Blood in the water, the Irish boys attack. As the mood of chaos and panic in the home defence is amazingly called by the referee. It seems for the Irish pulling back, blocking a defender.

Gloucester put the resulting penalty to touch but they're so shaken that we steal the lineout. Leguizamon is injured, and is substituted by Gustard who avoids trouble for the remaining 26 seconds of the first half ! Ha !

Half-Time Gloucester 3 London Irish 10

Having expanded some of my short hand notes, and the row being cleared by the Green Robed Ones Who Buy Alotta Guinness (Growbags) I go in search of the toilets. Huge queues. Totally inadequate for the size of crowd. In deference to you, gentle reader, I returned to the stand, avoiding kicking over the monks liquid stash on my way back to my gloomy corner.

Resumption of Attrition On-Pitch.

I'm glad I was in my seat as Irish kick off away from me and gained a penalty at the first contact. Gloucester using blockers to prevent our forwards from reaching the breakdown area. So much for the half-time team talk Dean Ryan, your boys give away an easy penalty. We mullered them at the tackle area, they had no answer.

Gloucester 3 London Irish 13

Next up Gloucester kick out on the full handing an advantage to us. Mike Catt attempts a drop goal from the left at around 30m out it is caught by Morgan by the side of the right post. He sets off to run it, but is called back to take it from the mark he'd called. More pressure for the home defence as he fails to make touch. We run it back in, but the ball is turned over midfield. Once again the Gloucester clearance fails to make touch. The clearance kicks are curved, this seems to be deliberate to force a knock on from the catcher, or give an awkward time if it bounces. There are some smart backs there at Gloucester but they were under pressure all afternoon. We run the ball back then chip for Topsy to chase as Morgan is drawn out of position. Garvey, who looks shaky to me in defence, is penalised for holding on. We go for a lineout, but are penalised for it not being straight.

Again the clearance is high and swirling and comes down on Horak in front of the “whoooaaaa” Shed, and they take some Castle Grim satisfaction as he spills it.

49 minutes gone and we have substitutions. Kiel comes on for the woeful Garvey, and Magne is replaced by Dawson. Delon goes off and we are treated to the sight of Silosi Tagicakibau, warmly welcomed from our section and looking very large and solid for a winger. Wearing 20 his neat white kit makes him any easy spot for this match reporter.

On 51 minutes Riki gets touch but we're penalised at the lineout. They kick to touch and we compound the error by repeating it. This time is close enough for Ludovic Mercier to attempt the posts. I thought that the offence took place outside the 15m area allowed for scrums to be chucked and jumped for. However, spilt milk and all that. Ludo kicks and its good. It's their first points for a long time and galvanises the crowd to find their voice.

56 minutes Gloucester 6 London Irish 13

Shortly after we gain an Irish scrum from a knock forward, we use it with another chase for Topsy. Not only does he have a good top speed, his size gives him a speed off the mark. It's a good tactic but this ball was too strong. A similar move for Sailosi is thwarted by a bad bounce. Scott Staniforth always got a good bounce, Sailosi could maybe ask him for the secret.

Gloucester get a penalty for Irish not being on their feet while attempting for the ball in a ruck. They try a maul but it's obviously going nowhere, they chip ahead and run it around but franticly knock fwd.

On 64 minutes Riki is awarded a penalty on the centre spot and decides to kick it. He has the distance but it drifts left by 2m. Still Gloucester 6 London Irish 13.

London Irish attack but its thrown forward, the scrum shuffles and sets, and the clock moves on. Gloucester have been pinned back in their own half for the entire match it seems and another of their long kicks takes a wicked sideways bounce which affords some broken play. A good attacking tactic, a bit of fortune, and the Gloucester backs steam in. Roared on by the Shed, they swarm in, and the talent on the teamsheet finally shines. With the Irish defence in chaos, a certain try is prevented by the speed and determination of Topsy Ojo tackling above his weight 3m from the line. I know I said earlier about his arm being trapped, but he did what he had to did. Yes it was a cynical and professional, and wholly necessary. Sometimes we do unto others as they would do unto us. Sometimes we have to do it first. The referee called matt and Ojo over, Topsy took his yellow card as it should be.

Ludovic Mercier showed the confidence the Gloucester pack had in themselves, and banged over 3 points. It was hard to see them getting any joy from a lineout or a scrum.

68 minutes Gloucester 9 London Irish 13. Irish down to 14 men, and the Shed are making some noise.

This makes a lot of the Irish noisier as well, and we learn that the thing to do in the Helphire stand is to stamp in rhythm on the aluminium floor. No drums, just a steel stand clad in aluminium. So all we need are drumsticks, then we can make more noise than skeletons in a biscuit tin. The singing of 'Molly Malone' and the 'Fields' gives way to the more basic I-Trish I-Trish as we enter the crucial final phase.

I have NO NOTES for this period. I gave up the trainspotting tendency and gave my full attention to the action. I decided that while the pen may be mightier than the sword, that this was a time for making noise for your team and trusting to memory.

70 minutes Gloucester are on fire in their backs, for about the first time in the game they show the intensity I had expected at the kick-off. In a repeat of a London Irish move from the first half they attack at speed from right to left, the ball moving faster through hands than you'd see in many an international, and this time they've worked an overlap. The crowd are going berserk with a capital B, as they pass the cover and run it in for the corner. Briefly I consider the ease of the conversion, but the referee has called it back for another forward pass. Very brave and speaks volumes for his awareness and neutrality.

From my seat, and it was an appalling view, you cannot judge these things. You can only go on precedent. The referee was refreshingly different, and as I grew up on rugby league ( as well as union ) I'll tell you that forward passes are rife in professional union. I contend that if all Union tries were referred to a 4th official, as in Super League, that 20% would come back as “NO TRY”. In for checking the grounding, obstruction of defenders and forward passes the very capable RL referees realise that there is technology, and they use it. We have it in the 6N but unfortunately we don't have all the camera angles for each GP match.

It was an unusual match. London Irish were not offside for the first time in their history. Both sides threw half a dozen forward passes, ending promising moves. The rules are all in there, and I suppose the referee has a priority order. He was consistent, or seemed equally punitive of some offences, yet lenient of others. If there are any complaints it would be along the lines of “but we usually get away with that”.

However the last 10 minutes we pretty much as we're used to as London Irish fans. No-one mentioned the Northampton game at the time, but it was discussed afterwards. We showed composure in those final moves as Gloucester mounted a series of frenzied attacks from their backs, so that it looked like a 7's game. They tried to run everything. London Irish did the same, and I thought we were more likely to score of the two. Other tactics we had we to run the clock down with scrum and lineout, as we dominated territory again. All game we had the ball down their neck, cramping them for space and forcing them to kick out, or run it from deep.

Sailosi failed to link up, and twice we managed to pass to the defender instead of scoring a clinching try. Another promising move saw Neal Hatley at inside centre instead of, well someone with fresher legs. Hatley had given enough in other areas without expecting him to finish a move off from 30m like the Agen hero Paul Franze.

The final minutes slipped away by Irish scrums, and lineouts, a Riki lutey attempted a drop goal, and we saw some final substitutions to bolster the Irish scrum. Frantic Gloucester attack, composed defence from the Reading boys.

The clock counted down to 0:00 as we travellers chanted 5-4-3-2-1. Gloucester tried their best to keep the ball alive for the final possession but we snaffled it and cleared to touch.

Full time Gloucester 9 London Irish 13

Post match Craic.

After clearing the ground at 5pm we had an hour of socialising to be done before our Time's Wing-ed Chariot and our luxury coach pulled off. The pre-match arrangement was for some pub called the Coach & Horses. Well with Gloucester fans absent the atmosphere was more Corpse & Hearses, until the Irish fans arrived and began to sing. A good pint, and fantastic staff, and luckily a lot more elbow room than the pre-match melee, I had another chance to meet some more of the Irish supporters.

The Coach got us back to the Swan without incident, in luxury, comfort and safety, and several of our group took a chance to rest their eyes. I met yet more of our fans who had not been able to make the trip, but had listened to the radio. It's interesting to hear a different view transmitted via Radio Gloucester. But I've composed this match report without resort to anything other than my notes.

It may contradict, it's harldy complete at the end, and I don't claim it's unbiased. But that's what I saw.

I hope you remembered and acted upon my pre-match advice and took the bet at 5-2 for the London Irish win

Remember - 4th played 5th, and 5th fecked 'em !

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon