Gloucester were beaten 24-22 conceding an injury-time try against reigning French champions Castres in the Stade Pierre Fabre today.
Ma'ama Vaipulu scored at the death to give Castres the lead for the first time in the match.
It was their final game in Pool 2 of the Heienken Champions Cup but neither team were able to progrees.
Recap on the action as it happened, as well as the pre-match build-up with Cherry and Whites fans in France and post-match reaction in our live blog at the bottom of this page.
Both sides made multiple changes to their sides and rested players, Gloucester going with a young side that includes six Academy players in the matchday squad.
Gloucester have now lost their last four games in all competitions, winning just one of their last six.
The only previous meeting between the sides was this season at Kingsholm when Gloucester won 19-14.
Castres have won all of their home games in this competition though this season and have gone nine games unbeaten on their own patch in the Champions Cup since Harlequins beat them four years ago.
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Match report
A try in the fifth minute of injury time sent a young and gutsy Gloucester side to a fourth straight defeat in all competitions.
The Cherry and Whites had led from almost the first minute to well beyond the 80th minute mark as they showed plenty of heart in the Stade Piere Fabre but Ma’ama Vaipulu scored at the death to give Castres victory in the Heineken Champions Cup Pool 2 dead rubber match.
Read the full report here
Rate the players
- Alex Seville
- Henry Walker
- Ciaran Knight
- Tom Savage
- Gerbrandt Grobler
- Gareth Evans
- Lewis Ludlow
- Freddie Clarke
- Ben Vellacott
- Lloyd Evans
- Ollie Thorley
- Owen Williams
- Henry Trinder
- Matt Banahan
- Tom Hudson
- Substitutes
- Todd Gleave
- Paddy McAllister
- Josh Hohneck
- Ed Slater
- Alex Craig
- Charlie Chapman
- Tom Seabrook
- Charlie Sharples
- Submission / Results
Full-time: Castres 24 Gloucester 22
They let flanker Yannick Caballero take the conversion but it’s off target.
But Castres win
Castres win it
Castres win the lineout and try to force their way over.
The ball pops up Vaipulu to score
Castres lineout
After a long discussion, Castres kick to touch but the kick isn’t great.
Ten metres out
In added time
Seabrook gives hot pursuit to the kick but can’t get there. All he had to do was kick it out.
Castres have to go a long way but they’re already over the halfway line
Almost there...
Castres kick the penalty to the corner and just about get the ball from the lineout.
They go through the phases and ask questions of Gloucester’s defence again.
Laveau has a bit of space out wide but Gloucester scramble back.
Tom Seabrook wins the ball and boots clear
One minute left
Castres driving forward with their pack after winning a lineout just outside the 22.
A big tackle from Alex Craig gives them a penalty with five metres out. Just over a minute left
Over-hit kick
Castres attack again and Batlle kicks ahead but it’s too long,
The home crowd feel he was tackled after the ball was gone but Nigel Owens is not interested
Castres try
Kockott seizes on a loos all and Robert Ebersohn bursts into the 22.
They work it left and Vialelle feeds Batlle to score
Conversion missed
Williams can’t add the two points to his own try but Gloucester lead 22-14 with 11 minutes left
Third Gloucester try
It’s a lovely try. Lloyd Evans kicks wide, Banahan offloads in the tackle and Williams squirms over.
Lineout stolen
Gloucester win a penalty in their own half and a big kick from Williams takes the into the Castres 22.
However, the lineout is stolen and Castres clear
Let-off for Gloucester
Gerondeau spots a gap 10 metres inside Gloucester’s half and sets off into the 22 but lock Christophe Samson spills the ball to save Gloucester.
Gloucester back ahead
Gloucester win a penalty at the scrum and Owen Williams will take a shot at goal from 40 metres.
He slots it through the uprights and they lead 17-14 after 57 minutes
Castres try
Laveau makes a break into the Gloucester 22 before Vaipulu offloads for Vialelle to score his second
Try denied
Castres come back again but Martin Laveau’s foot is in touch out wide after good work by Hudson
Impatience from the home crowd after a couple of reset scrums.
In the end Gloucester get the penalty, cue whistles from the crowd
Gloucester scrum holds firm
Castres try to push over from the scrum but Gloucester hold firm to get the turnover followed by some handbags
Held up
A strong hand-off by Vialelle on Trinder as he makes a strong run into the Gloucester 22.
A few pick and goes from the forwards but they are held up on the line
Half-time: Castres 7 Gloucester 14
Rory Kockott with the conversion.
Play did actually restart as Lewis Ludlow was penalised but Banahan received the ball and kicked straight out
Castres try
One more attack from Castres at the end of the half as they kick a penalty into the Gloucester 22 again.
It’s quickly released to the backs from the lineout and Florian Vialelle shows poise and strength to get through.
Strong defence again
Castres win a penalty at the scrum and unsurprisingly opt for a scrum, where they will have the put-in this time.
They go for the same move again but Vaipulu can’t find a way past Evans and Thorley.
Castres keep the ball but are being knocked back by the Gloucester defence.
And eventually the visitors get the scrum.
Evans holds firm
Ma’ama Vaipulu picks up at the back of the scrum and sees the try line in sight but Lloyd Evans keeps low to make a fine tackle and the number eight tries to offload but there’s a knock-on and Gloucester get the scrum
