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Watch: Cipriani's towering garryowen helps Gloucester to silence the Chiefs
England’s tactical kicking has been earning rave reviews in this year’s Six Nations, but Danny Cipriani showed on Friday night that the boot can be just as effective in the Premiership when hunting down important tries.
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Cipriani’s Gloucester eventually got the better of Exeter 24-17 at Kingsholm, with a sweet kick from the out-half having a huge part to play in a first-half try on 26 minutes.
Cipriani was inside his own half when he launched a monster garryowen that was collected near the 22 by Ollie Thorley who raced on to give Jason Woodward the pass to score in a excellent nip-and-tuck, five-try contest that ended the Premiership’s 40-day hibernation without a fixture.
Ben Morgan’s late 76th minute try ultimately proved decisive for Gloucester in a match that was levelled on 64 minutes when Gareth Steenson added the conversion to Tom O’Flaherty’s try.
Stunning kick by Cipriani ?
Incredible catch by Thorley ?
Strong finish by Woodward ?That is a fantastic @gloucesterrugby try ? pic.twitter.com/EgIGp4aIY2
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) February 15, 2019
Elsewhere, Wasps moved back into the play-off positions after edging out Bristol 29-22 in an Ashton Gate thriller.
Wales flanker Thomas Young, hooker Tom Cruse and number eight Nizaam Carr scored first-half tries to put the visitors in control.
And when a bonus point score arrived just 12 minutes into the second half through Will Rowlands, it looked done and dusted for Wasps.
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A brave effort from @BristolBears ? at Ashton Gate ?
They score three second-half tries but @WaspsRugby ? hold on to claim a bonus-point win ?#GallagherPrem #BRIvWAS pic.twitter.com/N92XuWwQjK
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) February 15, 2019
But Bristol, 16 points adrift at half-time, had other ideas as tries from scrum-half Harry Randall, centre Piers O’Conor and substitute Charles Piutau threatened a spectacular fightback.
Wasps’ former Bristol out-half Billy Searle kicked two conversions, but he was then carried off on his Ashton Gate return after suffering what appeared to be a serious ankle injury.
Searle’s replacement Lima Sopoaga also added a conversion and kicked a penalty, while Bristol’s Ian Madigan and Callum Sheedy each landed a conversion and Madigan also booted a penalty.
