Impressive Gloucester beat rivals Bath in Prem
Gloucester beat Bath 23-5 at Kingsholm, ending a run of more than four and a half years without a league victory over their oldest rivals at home. An imposing defensive performance helped Gloucester withstand sustained pressure, including a spell when they had only 13 players, and strengthened their position as Premiership leaders.
George Barton kicked three penalties to give Gloucester a 9-0 lead before Bath’s Kepu Tuipulotu scored from a driving maul just before half-time. Freddie Thomas and Max Llewellyn added second-half tries. Bath have now lost three matches in a row across all competitions, and full-back Santiago Carreras and flanker Guy Pepper left with injuries.
In short
- Gloucester beat Bath 23-5 at Kingsholm.
- The hosts ended a four-and-a-half-year wait for a home league win over Bath.
- Bath’s losing run reached three matches in all competitions.
Explained simply
Gloucester and Bath are professional rugby union clubs in the English Premiership, the country’s top domestic league. Their rivalry is one of the competition’s long-standing local contests, and they play at Kingsholm in Gloucester.
The Premiership is decided over a regular season in which clubs earn points for wins and draws, with the leading sides going on to the play-offs. A strong league position can improve a club’s route to the title, while results also affect qualification for European competitions.