Yahoo News Gloucester Rugby player ratings from Bristol Bears win - 'Class is permanent'
Gloucester Rugby beat Bristol Bears 44-41 in a Gallagher Premiership shootout game for the ages on Friday night to pick up their first win of the new season.
Winger Christian Wade stole the headlines with a hat-trick of tries for the Cherry and Whites and was joined on the scoresheet by lock Freddie Thomas and fly-half Gareth Anscombe, while kicking full-back George Barton converted all five tries and booted three penalties for a 19-point haul. Bristol ended with two bonus points to keep them riding high in the table having beaten Newcastle Falcons in Round One, with Max Malins (2), Siva Naulago, Harry Randall, Gabriel Ibitoye and Rich Lane scoring tries against Gloucester and AJ MacGinty kicked 11 points.
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South West writer John Evely takes a closer look at the individual performances from the Gloucester Rugby players…
15. George Barton - 7
The full-back’s perfect kicking display from the tee played a big part in earning Gloucester their first win of the season. If we are being picky, he should have done a bit better trying to stop Ibitoye score the Bears’ first try inside 66 seconds as he got carried over the line.
14. Christian Wade - 9
The winger proved he still has all the attributes to be one of the best wingers in the Premiership with his sixth hat-trick in the league. The first was a clever wrap around play down the left wing, the second a 90m interception and run in - showing remarkable pace at 33 - and the third was an opportunist score after he regathered an excellent end-over-end kick. A late yellow card for a high tackle on Benhard Janse van Rensburg could have been costly but wasn't in the end. Class is certainly permanent and the doubters didn't have to worry.
13. Chris Harris - 7
The Scottish international put in at least one try saving tackle as he worked hard to try and shut down the Bears’ attack.
12. Seb Atkinson - 7
The centre offers a real zip in midfield with the ability, agility and speed to break through gaps and did so several times.
11. Max Llewellyn - 7
Switched to the wing in place of the injured Ollie Thorley, the Welsh international more than held his own and created a fine try for Wade to open his account for the night, stepping inside Naulago and the offloading to the former NFL man to scorch down the touchline.
10. Gareth Anscombe - 7
The fly-half had a much-improved game from his Premiership debut and even got on the try scoring sheet after gathering a clever kick over the top of a ruck from Williams. The Welsh international repeatedly put players through gaps and took a bit step forward in dusting off the rustiness of being out of the game for nearly a year due to injury.
9. Tomos Williams - 9
Captaining the side for the first time in the Premiership, the Welsh international scrum half was outstanding from start to finish and really showed his leadership skills with the way he spoke and influenced the referee. He came up with a lovely assist for Anscombe try, chipping the ball directly over the ruck for the fly-half to dot down in the deadball area and his decision to tap and go quickly in the first half saw Harry Randall forced to make a tackle having not retreated which led to him being yellow carded and the Bears going down to 13 men in a key moment in the contest.
1. Mayco Vivas - 7
The loosehead held up in the scrum but was unable to really punish the lesser experienced George Kloska opposite him.
2. Jack Singleton - 7
Playing as the tail gunner in defence at a lineout, Singleton was beaten too easily by Harry Randall in the first minute of the match to allow the scrum half to get over the gain line and then offload to Ibitoye who finished the chance like an arch poacher.
3. Kirill Gotovtsev - 7
Brought into the starting side to go to head-to-head with Ellis Genge in the scrum, the former wrestling champion held his own at the setpiece but Bristol just edged the contest until Afo Fasogbon came onto the pitched and tipped the balance of the contest.
4. Freddie Thomas - 8
The young lock showed every bit of his athleticism during a series of breaks, one of which he finished off to score in what is likely to be a try-of-the-season contender.
5. Matias Alemanno - 7
The Argentina international was instrumental in Gloucester’s outstanding defence of the Bristol maul which never managed to breach the visitors’ tryline.
6. Jack Clement - 8
Promoted into the starting side after a try scoring cameo off the bench, the backrower took his opportunity, repeatedly running clever lines to dissect the Bears defence, although perhaps his highlight moment was a display of stunning quick hands to put Thomas through a gap to spark the locks stunning team try.
7. Harry Taylor - 8
Handed a start at openside with skipper Lewis Ludlow rested and the young man didn’t waste his opportunity as he showed his prowess with the ball as a link player, notably during Thomas’ try when he gave the scoring pass. He also won a penalty in the last minute of the game with Bristol pressing for a winner to effectively secure the win.
8. Zach Mercer - 7
The number eight had a reasonably quiet night by his high standards as he was not directly involved in many of the key moments in the game with others around him making breaks. A couple of lovely kicks again though
Replacements:
16. Seb Blake - 6
17. Jamal Ford-Robinson - 6
18. Afo Fasogbon - 8
19. Freddie Clarke - 6
20. Ruan Ackermann - 6
21. Albert Tuisue - 6
22. Caolan Englefield - N/A
23. Charlie Atkinson - N/A
