Edinburgh Stuns Gloucester; Bath Defeats Castres to Dominate Pool Two
In a thrilling weekend of the Champions Cup, Edinburgh achieved a remarkable 26-24 comeback victory against Gloucester, while Bath solidified their position at the top of Pool Two with a dominant 43-20 win over Castres.
Edinburgh Stuns Gloucester in a Comeback Victory
Edinburgh began the match strongly, with Josh Hathaway scoring the opening try just three minutes in. George Barton followed up with a penalty, giving Gloucester an 8-0 lead shortly after ten minutes. Edinburgh fought back with a solo effort from Ben Vellacott in the 17th minute, narrowing the gap to three points.
However, Gloucester continued to push, as Barton’s second penalty extended their lead before Charlie Atkinson scored their second try of the game. As halftime approached, Edinburgh’s Ewan Ashman brought the score closer, but Gloucester maintained a nine-point advantage with Barton’s third penalty.
After the break, Edinburgh rallied. Liam McConnell scored under the posts, cutting Gloucester’s lead to just two points. A penalty try shortly thereafter gave Edinburgh the lead for the first time in the match. Despite Barton’s fourth penalty, it was not enough to prevent Gloucester from suffering their fifth consecutive defeat.
Key Events of the Match
- Edinburgh’s Josh Hathaway scored the first try.
- George Barton of Gloucester contributed multiple penalties.
- Ben Vellacott and Ewan Ashman scored for Edinburgh.
- Gloucester’s Charlie Atkinson scored a try before halftime.
- Edinburgh secured a penalty try in the second half.
Bath Defeats Castres to Dominate Pool Two
In another match, Bath showcased their prowess against Castres, winning 43-20. The game started with Castres taking an early lead through Teddy Durand’s try in the sixth minute, following an offside penalty. Cameron Redpath quickly equalized for Bath.
Despite Bath being a man down due to Beno Obano’s yellow card, Castres capitalized with a second try by Wilfried Hulleu. However, Ted Hill responded to level the score again for Bath.
The turning point came when Tom Dunn scored, placing Bath ahead. With Castres losing Durand to a yellow card, Bath continued to dominate. They scored a try shortly after half-time from Obano and extended their lead with a penalty from Finn Russell.
Bath’s performance was capped off with two more tries from Will Muir and a final score from Tom Carr-Smith.
Match Summary
- Bath scored three tries in each half.
- Cameron Redpath and Ted Hill made significant contributions.
- Tom Dunn and Will Muir were crucial in Bath’s dominating performance.
- Finn Russell kicked a notable penalty to extend Bath’s lead.
With these results, Edinburgh and Bath are poised to make their mark as contenders in the ongoing Champions Cup, captivating fans with their exciting gameplay.
