Gloucester 15-10 Edinburgh: Player Ratings as Cherry and Whites start Challenge Cup campaign with a win

Gloucester got their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign off to a winning start in a 15-10 victory against Edinburgh thanks to tries from Seb Blake and Albert Tuisue. It was a very cagey affair due to extreme wind and rain that meant there was a lot of kicking and a lot of mistakes. 

Seb Blake opened the scoring from the back of a driving maul with Santi Carreras adding on the extra two. 

Wes Goosen was able to score Edinburgh's only try of the game just before half time, Ross Thompson's conversion meant they went into half time level. 

Carreras scored a penalty in the second half and then Albert Tuisue secured the victory for Gloucester. 

Ben Healy scored a penalty when the clock was dead to give Edinburgh the losing bonus point. 

Gloucester player ratings 

  1. Val Rapava- Ruskin (off 72')- 8 

An absolutely immense shift from the loosehead, strong at the scrum, strong at the breakdown and made some good tackles, he was a key part to The Cherry and Whites success today. 

  1. Seb Blake (off 52')- 7 

Very accurate at the line out with only one going wrong with it not being straight which was an impressive feat considering the wind, also scoring the first try of the game from the back of a maul. 

  1. Krill Govotsev (off 57')- 5 

Conceded a couple of penalties throughout the game, was defensively solid but made a few mistakes at the breakdown. 

  1. Arthur Clark (off 26')- 6 

Coming off due to injury, Clark put in a great shift at the breakdown throughout his limited involvement in the match. 

  1. Matias Alemanno- 7 

Putting in big hits defensively, caught line out leading to try, knock on inside '22 
Alemanno made some massive tackles throughout the game, he was reliable at the line out and overall put in a fantastic performance. 

  1. Freddie Thomas- 6 

A strong performance from Thomas where he showcased his strong ball carrying ability and his immense physicality. 

  1. Lewis Ludlow (c)- 9 

A truly great performance where Ludlow did everything right. Great at the breakdown, great on the ball, made some great tackles and even charged down a box kick. A true captains performance where the flanker led by example. 

  1. Ruan Ackermann- 6 

Ackermann put in a solid performance considering he doesn't usually play number eight, he was another player that played a part in Gloucester's physical dominance today. 

  1. Caolan Englefield- 8 

Englefield put in a performance that showed he could fill the boots of the absent Tomos Williams, putting in some great box kicks in the first half and showed some great distribution from the ruck. 

  1. Gareth Anscombe (off 62' HIA)- 5 

Made some strong kicks when the wind was on his side, but defensively looked out of place and slipped in the build up to the Edinburgh try. 

  1. Josh Hathaway- 6 

Hathaway was another player that tried to add flair to a game that had little flair in it, trying little chips and grubbers to try and break down the Edinburgh defence. 

  1. Max Llewellyn (off 47')- 6 

Looked confident under pressure and strong defensively but didn't see much of the ball as Gloucester didn't utilise their back line much 

  1. Chris Harris- 5 

It was a game where the backs didn't have a massive impact, Harris made some good tackles but didn't do loads on the ball. 

  1. Christian Wade- 7 

Just like his fellow winger, Wade was always trying to create something with his runs. A good performance where he is continue to look more and more settled each game. 

  1. Santi Carreras- 7 

Another Gloucester player who was fantastic in the kicking game in the challening conditions, Carreras was good on the ball and showed good control of the game. He attempted a drop goal early on in the second half but it missed. 

  1. Jack Singleton (on 52')- 6 
  1. Ciaran Knight (on 72')- 5 
  1. Afo Fasogbon (on 57')- 6 
  1. Harry Taylor (on 26') (off 57')- 6 

Came on and put in a decent shift, after the game George Skivington said the fact he was brought off had nothing to do with the lock's performance and was all tactical. 

  1. Albert Tuisue (on 57')- 7 

Scored a try after coming on, being in the centre of the maul and driving the ball over the tryline.  

  1. Charlie Chapman- N/A 
  1. Will Butler (on 47')- 6 

Came on for his Gloucester debut, considering he only signed on the Thursday he seemed to fit in quite well. 

  1. George Barton (on 62')- 6 

Edinburgh player ratings 

  1. Boan Venter- 6 

Despite being part of a side that struggled physically, Venter put in a defensive shift, making some solid tackles and being strong at the breakdown. 

  1. Paddy Harrison (off 54')- 7 

A strong performance and he threw a great line out despite the conditions, 100% accuracy and a wide variety of throws for an Edinburgh side who were strong at the line out. 

  1. Paul Hull (off 54')- 5 

A game where Edinburgh struggled physically and didn't succeed at the scrum, Hull's life was made very difficult by the Cherry and Whites. 

  1. Marshall Sykes- 4 

Foolishly got yellow carded just past the hour mark for shoulder to head contact with Gareth Anscombe after he kicked, shortly after he went to the bin Gloucester scored the winning try. 

  1. Sam Skinner (off 70')- 5 

A fairly quiet game from the lock but was a reliable asset at the line out and the break down. 

  1. Tom Dodd- 5 

Had a great start, winning a penalty at the breakdown. However, received a yellow card in the second half 

  1. Freddy Douglas (off 21')- 5 

The flanker wasn't part of much of the action in the first 20 minutes that his side struggled in, picking up an early knock and coming off. 

  1. Magnus Bradbury (c)- 5 

Not the greatest performance from the number eight, making a few unforced errors under little pressure. 

  1. Charlie Shiel (off 70')- 5 

Struggled to box kick effectively in the first half when kicking against the wind, but overall was gave some reliable service from the ruck. 

  1. Ross Thompson (off 57')- 6 

One of the few players that tried to add a bit of flare to the game, trying the occasional dummy or chip to try and break the strong Gloucester defensive line. He had some nice ideas unfortunately they weren't always successful.  

  1. Nathan Sweeney- 6 

Didn't see much of the ball out wide but played a part in Edinburgh's only break of the game. 

  1. Mosese Tuipulotu (off 67')- 6 

Had some really good vision and added a lot of flare to Edinburgh's attack. However, he knocked the ball on in the oppositions '22 which was a very costly mistake. 

  1. Matt Currie – 5 

Made a great break early on with the support form Sweeney but it was difficult for the backs to make much of an effect today as it wasn't a very fluid game of rugby. 

  1. Ross McCann- 4 

Knocked the ball on while trying to catch a kick and was fairly quiet throughout most of the game. 

  1. Wes Goosen- 7 

Did very well kicking against the wind in the first half. However, was caught out a few times in the air. He also kicked well in the second half as well as getting himself Edinburgh's only try of the game.  

  1. Dave Cherry (on 54')- 6 
  1. Mikey Jones- N/A 
  1. D'Arcy Rae (on 54')- 5 
  1. Robert Carmichael* (on 70')- 5 
  1. Liam McConnell* (on 21')- 6 

A solid debut for the flanker, showing good physicality on the ball a 

  1. Conor McAlpine (on 70')- 5 
  1. Ben Healy (on 57')- 6 

Showed a solid kicking game and slotted an 80th minute penalty under a lot of pressure to secure his side the losing bonus point. 

  1. James Lang (on 67')- 5 

The post Gloucester 15-10 Edinburgh: Player Ratings as Cherry and Whites start Challenge Cup campaign with a win appeared first on Ruck.

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