Markings: 5′ goal Hathaway, 15′ p. Albornoz, 19′ p. Hastings, 23′ p. Albornoz, 28′ goal Blake tr. Hastings, 40′ goal Smith; 48′ p. Hastings, 54′ goal Lucchesi, 58′ goal Hastings tr. Hastings, 61′ Clarke goal tr. Hastings, 66′ goal Lucchesi tr. Albornoz, 69′ p. Englefield, 78′ Thorley try.
Note: 35′ yellow card for Mercer (GLO). Conversions: Gloucester 3/5 (Hastings 3/5); Benetton Rugby 1/3 (Albornoz 1/3). Free kicks: Gloucester: 3/4 (Hastings 2/3, Englefield 1/1); Benetton Rugby: 2/2 (Albornoz 2/2). Man of the match: Zach Mercer (GLO).
Gloucester Rugby:
15 Josh Hathaway, 14. Jonny May, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Adam Hastings,
9 Caolan Englefield (70′ Stephen Varney), 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Lewis Ludlow (C), 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Freddie Thomas (55′ Albert Tuisue), 4 Freddie Clarke, 3 Kirill Gotovtsev (55′ Ciaran Knight), 2 Seb Blake (44′ Santi Socino), 1 Mayco Vivas (44′ Jamal Ford-Robinson).
Available: 20 Jack Clement, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Alex Hearle.
Head Coach: George Skivington.
Benetton Rugby:
15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Ignacio Brex, 11 Onisi Ratave, 10 Tomas Albornoz (65′ Leonardo Marin), 9 Alessandro Garbisi (48′ Andy Uren), 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Michele Lamaro (C) , 6 Sebastian Negri (48′ Alessandro Izekor), 5 Eli Snyman (60′ Edoardo Iachizzi), 4 Scott Scrafton (40′ Niccolò Cannone), 3 Simone Ferrari (48′ Giosue Zilocchi), 2 Giacomo Nicotera (44′ Gianmarco Lucchesi) , 1 Thomas Gallo (60′ Mirco Spagnolo).
Head Coach: Marco Bortolami.
Benetton Rugby is ready to experience the historic match in the Challenge Cup. The green and whites have reached the semi-final and in England, at the Kingsholm Stadium, Lamaro and his teammates challenge the Cherry and Whites of Gloucester.
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia).
Assistants: Mike Adamson (Scotland) and Sam Grove-White (Scotland).
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales).
MATCH REPORT
Ready, go and Gloucester immediately goes ahead with Hathaway’s try following a rebound from a poisonous kick from Hastings. Hastings does not transform. The Lions immediately get back on top and get a free kick from a good position thanks to a dominant scrum. Tomas Albornoz, in the 50th minute in green and white he doesn’t make a mistake and gives his team the first three points. Change in front and now it’s the English who have a placed shot that Hastings sends between the posts. The green-and-white scrum is still overbearing and earns a new free kick from the precise foot of Tomas Albornoz. Gloucester’s response was not long in coming and the home team scored with a maul led by Blake. Hastings converts and Gloucester extends to 15-6. Hastings then misses a shot from midfield. In the 35th minute Mercer was booked for tripping Smith. The Lions have one more man and would go for the goal, but it is canceled out by a call from the TMO for a push by Menoncello on Hastings with the game far away. At the bell of the first half the Lions scored the first try of the semi-final with a lightning-fast restart: the scrum was still powerful, Halafihi activated the rockets and half the pitch was taken away, then Negri opened for Ratave, good at giving the recycling for Rhyno Smith who goes to mark at full speed on the left flag. Albornoz doesn’t hit the posts and the first half ends 15-11.
The second half begins and Niccolò Cannone takes over from Scott Scrafton. We return to numerical parity and Lucchesi enters for Nicotera. Foul for Gloucester who goes to the posts and Hastings makes no mistake. Other changes for Benetton: Uren, Izekor and Zilocchi for Garbisi, Negri and Ferrari. The Lions close the gap: great kick from Albornoz for a throw within five meters of home: Gianmarco Lucchesi he drives a sumptuous drive and goes for the goal. Albornoz does not transform. Gloucester still scores with Hastings at the end of a multi-phase tainted by an obvious forward. Hastings transforms. Another English try with Clarke intercepting Albornoz’s pass on the run. Hastings gives him 32-16. Then space for Spagnolo and Iachizzi for Gallo and Snyman. The Lions don’t give up and Gianmarco Lucchesi fixes the double of desire and wickedness. Albornoz converts and is then replaced by Marin. Another placed in favor of Gloucester and Englefield makes no mistake (35-23 for the home team). In the final, another dubious try scored by Thorley with suspicion going forward and Gloucester went into the final with a win 40-23.
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