Gloucester Rugby finished their Gallagher Premiership campaign with a spirited 41-26 victory over Northampton Saints at a packed Kingsholm Stadium on Saturday. Teenager Jack Cotgreave stole the show, scoring an impressive hat-trick of tries to highlight Gloucester’s attacking prowess.
Despite collecting a valuable five points, Gloucester fell short of the play-offs, overtaken by Sale and Bristol in the race for fourth place. Alongside Cotgreave’s three tries, Christian Wade contributed two, while Seb Atkinson and Tomos Williams each crossed the try line once. Santiago Carreras successfully kicked three conversions to further boost the home side’s tally.
Northampton Saints, making 14 changes following their Champions Cup final heroics, battled hard with tries from Tom Pearson, Tom Litchfield, Jonny Weimann, and replacement Iakopo Mapu. Rory Hutchinson added three conversions for the visitors.
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Gloucester made an instant impact, opening scoring within four minutes through a dynamic move finished off by Cotgreave. Northampton responded quickly as Ollie Sleightholme’s powerful run set up Pearson’s try. A setback came for Saints when captain Ed Prowse left the field dazed, but Northampton bounced back with Litchfield pressing over for another try.
Gloucester’s flair shone again when Cotgreave nearly scored a second try, although TMO ruled his foot was in touch. The winger made no mistake moments later, touching down after slick passing from Williams and Atkinson. Wade’s interception try from halfway dealt Northampton a harsh blow. The visitors struggled further when Freddie Clarke’s breakaway set up Williams’ try securing the bonus point.
Despite Gloucester prop Afolabi Fasogbon being sin-binned for deliberate offside before halftime, the hosts led 22-14 at the break. Saints took advantage of the extra player with Weimann’s try, but Cotgreave’s third try kept Gloucester ahead. Wade’s quick feet led to a try for Atkinson as Gloucester asserted control.
Saints fought back late with a try from substitute Mapu off a line-out drive. Yet Gloucester sealed the match when Wade scored from halfway in the final move, bringing down the curtain on their Gallagher Premiership season. Wade, who impressed throughout, will now prepare for a switch to rugby league with Wigan Warriors.
Final Gloucester lineup featured Carreras, Wade, Harris, Atkinson, Cotgreave, Anscombe, Williams, and a strong pack led by captain Lewis Ludlow. Northampton fielded a young team with Prowse as captain before his early exit.
Though Gloucester’s final victory was emphatic, it underscored the harsh reality of Premiership rugby — a good performance on the day isn’t always enough to secure a place in the play-offs.