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Christian Wade bags hat-trick as Gloucester hold off Bristol fightback
By PA
Christian Wade scored a hat-trick of tries as Gloucester claimed a remarkable 44-41 Gallagher Premiership victory over west country rivals Bristol at Ashton Gate.
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Gloucester looked home and dry when they led by 19 points with only 15 minutes left, but three quickfire Bristol tries tied things up before full-back George Barton held his nerve to kick a 78th-minute penalty.
Wade almost went from hero to villain when he was yellow-carded late in the action, but Gloucester withstood a final Bristol flourish to triumph.
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Wade, back in the Premiership after six years away in the NFL and then a spell with French club Racing 92, showcased his finishing prowess in all its glory.
His treble took him to 85 Premiership career tries, putting him equal fourth with Danny Care on the all-time list, and ultimately he was key to Gloucester’s success.
Lock Freddie Thomas and fly-half Gareth Anscombe also crossed for Gloucester, while Barton converted all five tries and booted three penalties for a 19-point haul.
Bristol ended with two bonus points – Max Malins (two), Siva Naulago, Harry Randall, Gabriel Ibitoye and Rich Lane scored tries – and AJ MacGinty kicked 11 points, but Gloucester were not to be denied.
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Gloucester had lost on their last six Premiership visits to Ashton Gate and they fell behind after just 66 seconds.
Scrum-half Randall broke from a lineout just inside Gloucester’s 22, and Ibitoye powered his way over for an opening try than MacGinty converted.
The lead was short-lived, though, with Gloucester drawing level just five minutes later after clever work from Wales international Max Llewellyn gave his fellow wing Wade a half-chance that he took with aplomb.
Barton converted before Gloucester cut open Bristol’s defence through a thrilling handling move that ended with Thomas charging over and Barton adding the extras.
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Bristol were in self-destruct mode as Naulago and Randall collected yellow cards just two minutes apart and Gloucester punished them immediately when skipper Tomos Williams kicked cleverly into space and his half-back partner Anscombe caught a kind bounce to score.
Barton’s third conversion took Gloucester past 20 points in front of England head coach Steve Borthwick and his Wales counterpart Warren Gatland, with Bristol having been blitzed by three tries in 16 minutes.
A MacGinty penalty provided some calm amid the chaos for Bristol, but it did not last as Gloucester claimed a bonus-point try six minutes before the interval.
The home side mounted a promising attack, but Malins saw his pass intercepted by Wade, who sprinted 80 metres to claim try number four – Barton converted – before an unmarked Naulago crossed out wide.
But Bristol still had a mountain to climb, trailing 28-15 at the break following an error-strewn opening half.
A Barton penalty consolidated Gloucester’s advantage, yet Bristol responded impressively, setting up camp inside Gloucester’s 22 before Randall sniped his way over and MacGinty converted.
Bristol continued to concede penalties and Barton stepped up to add another three-pointer midway through the third quarter.
Wade then punished them again, regathering his speculative kick ahead following a horrible mix-up in Bristol’s defence, with Barton’s conversion opening up a 19-point gap.
Bristol refused to go away, though, and Gloucester knew they could not afford to switch off when Malins crossed for his team’s fourth try, converted by MacGinty, 14 minutes from time.
Malins was at it again just four minutes later, pouncing after more sustained pressure. MacGinty’s conversion made it a five-point game, then Wade was sin-binned for a high hit on Benhard Janse van Rensburg as the drama intensified.
And Wade had barely left the field before Lane pounced to haul Bristol level, but MacGinty’s touchline conversion attempt glanced off the post, then Barton stepped up to kick the match-winner.
