Bristol Bears failed to progress from the Premiership Rugby Cup pool stages after suffering a 15-43 defeat to Gloucester.
The Cherry and Whites progress into the final four as a result of the victory that saw their maul dominate proceedings with the visitors scoring six tries to Bristol’s two.
Gloucester crossed through wingers Jacob Morris and Alex Morgan, while hooker Henry Walker scored a brace and man of the match Jack Bartlett and flanker Freddie Thomas also touched down. Fly-half George Barton finished with 13 points.
A young Bristol side scored tries through two of their more seasoned campaigners in hooker Bryan Byrne and number eight Mitch Eadie but were second best for most of the night at Ashton Gate.
Pat Lam challenged his squad of fringe players to put in a performance worthy of earning a chance to feature in the club’s crucial Heineken Champions Cup double-header against Sale Sharks in the last 16 knockout rounds, but instead, it was Gloucester who collectively shone in the wet.
While there were flashes of individual brilliance from the likes of Bears teenager Jac Lloyd - who got the scoring underway with an early penalty before missing a second - and the largely overlooked Eadie, who has spent most of the season on loan at Championship side Hartpury, it was Gloucester’s efficiency with their deadly maul that gave them a commanding 21-3 advantage at half time.
No matter who is on the field in the Cherry and White this season, the Gloucester maul is unstoppable and replacement number eight Bartlett finished the first from their commanding setpiece and he was at the heart of the driving effort to go 17m for hooker Walker to dot down just before the break.
But this Gloucester side are not one-trick ponies and skipper George Barton - who was the standout player on the pitch for either side - but in a stunning cross-field kick pass to winger Morris to take above his head and power through the attempted tackle of Bear full-back Rich Lane.
Bristol simplified things early in the second half and gave the visitors a taste of their own medicine, scoring off the back of a maul with hooker Byrne breaking blind to power through the tackle of Stephen Varney.
But in the space of two minutes before the hour mark, Gloucester scored a pair of tries to pull out of sight.
Flanker Thomas capitalised on sustained pressure to spot the edge of a ruck unguarded by Bristol, picking and bursting through to score under the sticks.
Moments later winger Morgan made amends for dropping the ball over the line just after half time to pick off a pass from Theo Strang and run in 60m to score his side’s fifth of the match.
Bristol fought valiantly until the end and Eadie powered over the line to get a reward for his strong individual display.
However, fittingly the final say of the match was Gloucester’s and their maul, firing Walker over for the second of his brace five minutes from time.
In fact, the game ended with an 80th-minute penalty from the boot of the superb Barton to finish 15-43.
Bristol Bears: 15. Rich Lane, 14. Toby Fricker, 13. Jack Bates, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Henry Purdy, 10. Jac Lloyd, 9. Theo Strang; 1. Ash Challenger, 2. Bryan Byrne , 3. George Kloska, 4. James Dun, 5. Ed Holmes, 6. John Hawkins (c), 7. Macennzie Duncan, 8. Mitch Eadie.
Replacements: 16. Will Capon, 17. Tom Sims, 18. Jono Benz-Salomon, 19. Charlie Rice, 20. Pete Carter (debut), 21. TJ Wilstead, 22. Harry Rowson, 23. Niyi Adeolokun.
Gloucester Rugby: 15. Reece Dunn, 14. Alex Morgan, 13. Louis Hillman-Cooper, 12. Giorgi Kveseladze, 11. Jacob Morris, 10. George Barton (c), 9. Stephen Varney, 1. Olly Adkins, 2. Henry Walker, 3. Bryan O’Connor, 4. Arthur Clark, 5. Alex Craig, 6. Freddie Thomas, 7. Harry Taylor, 8. Jack Clement *
Replacements: 16. Seb Blake, 17. Conor Maguire, 18. Jenson Boughton, 19. Cameron Jordan, 20. Jack Barlett, 21. Matty Jones, 22. Tom Seabrook, 23. Morgan Adderly-Jones
Referee: Joe James
Assistant referees: Charlie Gayther and James Clarke
TMO: Dean Richards
Citing Commissioner : Andy Blyth
