Gloucester snatch valuable victory in breathless finish at Bath

Gloucester claimed a late and valuable victory at Bath on Sunday as Ed Slater bundled over five minutes after the 80 and Owen Williams kicked the winning conversion to snatch a 22-21 triumph over their West Country rivals.

Only London Irish and bottom club Worcester Warriors had fewer points than the Cherry and Whites ahead of Sunday’s clash at the Recreation Ground, but this victory lifts them above Wasps into eighth.

Two tries from captain Willi Heinz helped Gloucester into a 15-14 lead heading into the final five minutes, before Semesa Rokodoguni looked to have clinched it for Bath with his second of the match, converted by Rhys Priestland.

But Slater and Williams combined to rescue the result for Gloucester in a nervy finish – the TMO confirmed the former had grounded and the Welsh fly-half held his nerve to collect the four points.

? Willi Heinz “we’ve spoken about starting games well, and that was imperative today” pic.twitter.com/75pN5MqJw3

— Gloucester Rugby ? (@gloucesterrugby) October 29, 2017

England coach Eddie Jones will have been concerned to see Bath’s Sam Underhill replaced at half-time, while Anthony Watson was treated for a head injury.

In the day’s other match, Leicester Tigers stormed to a 30-13 victory at Newcastle Falcons to go third in the Premiership table.

The visitors quickly took control through Telusa Veainu and Ben Youngs as they opened up a 14-3 lead, but the home side managed to reduce that deficit to a single point by the early stages of the second half.

It was all downhill from there for Newcastle, however, as 11 points from the boot of George Ford and a Jonny May try saw them well beaten, ending the weekend down in seventh.