Jack Cotgreave scored a hat-trick of tries as Gloucester accomplished their season in type with a bonus-point 41-26 victory over spirited Northampton at a sold-out Kingsholm.
Nonetheless, the 5 factors achieved weren’t sufficient to safe Gloucester a play-off spot, as they had been squeezed out of fourth place by victories for Sale and Bristol.
Christian Wade added a brace with Seb Atkinson and Tomos Williams additionally on the try-scoring sheet for Gloucester. Santiago Carreras added three conversions.
Saints made 14 adjustments from final week’s heroic effort within the Champions Cup ultimate however went toe to toe with Gloucester all through and had been rewarded with tries from Tom Pearson, Tom Litchfield, Jonny Weimann and Iakopo Mapu, three of which had been transformed by Rory Hutchinson.
It took Gloucester just four minutes to open the scoring when a free-flowing move provided Cotgreave with an easy run-in.
However Saints’ response was swift with a strong run from Ollie Sleightholme creating the chance for Pearson to crash over.
Northampton then suffered a blow when their captain for the day, Ed Prowse, was helped off in a dazed state to get replaced by Callum Hunter-Hill however they instantly overcame this setback with Litchfield forcing his approach over.
The hosts then produced a carbon copy of the transfer that resulted of their opener and it regarded to have paid dividends when Cotgreave touched down, just for TMO replays to point out that the wing had put a foot in contact.
It mattered little as minutes later, Cotgreave did rating his second when lengthy passes from Williams and Atkinson opened up the defence earlier than Wade picked off a telegraphed move to motor in from half-way.
That interception strive was a hammer blow for Saints they usually full additional behind when Freddie Clarke burst away to arrange the bonus-point strive for Williams.
On the stroke of half-time, Gloucester’s prop, Afolabi Fasogbon, was sin-binned for a deliberate off-side however his facet nonetheless held a 22-14 interval lead.
Saints capitalised on Fasogbon’s absence when Weimann darted over however Cotgreave accomplished his hat-trick to maintain the guests at arm’s size earlier than the twinkling ft of Wade arrange a strive for Atkinson.
Saints refused to lie down and had been rewarded with a strive from alternative Mapu after a line-out drive however Gloucester had the ultimate say when Wade completed off from half-way with the ultimate transfer of the match.
