Gloucester secure bonus-point win over Scarlets

European Rugby Challenge Cup, Kingsholm

Gloucester (19) 31

Tries: Englefield, Clement, Barton, Blake, Wade Cons: Carreras 2, Barton

Scarlets (0) 7

With a bonus-point victory over Scarlets at Kingsholm, Gloucester established themselves as contenders for the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup.

Tries from scrum-half Caolon Englefield, flanker Jack Clement and full-back George Barton helped them lead 19-0 at half-time.

Seb Blake’s replacement hooker, who had just six minutes to go, added the bonus point before Christian Wade’s six-minute winner.

Costelow, who only played 11 minutes, might be worried about his inclusion in Wales’ Six Nations squad on Monday.

However, Gloucester won the tournament by two points and will now face Bayonne in round four.

The opening try was scored by Christian Wade’s grubby up the left wing, which Barton did just before the line, and Englefield did so with a daring header.

Before Barton took a long pass in Scarlets’ 22 to run an outside arc and slide between two defenders to score Gloucester’s third try in the right corner, Clement was pushed over from a rolling maul.

After the break, Blake’s try was a powerful maul from the hosts’ pack, which effectively sealed the game.

With a cross-field kick from Taine Plumtree, Scarlets avoided a dull night.

Gloucester head coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

“The boys’ attitude was fantastic, especially in the breakdown that ultimately gave us the game,” the boys said.

Even the massive defensive set scored the try at the end.

“We were accurate in their 22 and there were some good tries,” he said.

Replacements: Blake, Ford-Robinson, Gotovstev, Jordan, Clarke, Tuisue, Williams, Atkinson.

Scarlets: Lloyd, Mee, Page, James, Murray, Costelow, Hughes, Mathias, van der Merwe, Thomas, Craig, Douglas, Plumtree, Macleod (capt), Fifita.

Replacements: Evans, Hepburn, Hawley, Lousi, Taylor, Davies, Roberts, Nicholas.