Gloucester 23-13 Leicester Tigers – Gloucester shut down Leicester to triumph in Premiership Rugby Cup final

Gloucester’s early second-half barrage saw them defeat Leicester Tigers in the Premiership Rugby Cup final 23-13 and secure their first trophy in nine years.

The first half was a dour spectacle with Gloucester not able to convert their two-thirds territorial advantage into points, going into the break 6-3 behind.

Crucially, on the stroke of half-time, Leicester had Mike Brown sin-binned and Finn Theobald-Thomas also received a yellow card early after the restart.

The Cherry and Whites made use of the extra men with quick thinking from Caolan Englefield to set up Seb Atkinson for a try and then Cameron Jordan powered his way over for a second.

Hanro Liebenberg dived over the line five minutes from time, but Gloucester’s tenacious defence survived 21 phases shortly afterwards as they kept The Tigers at arm’s length and Kingsholm erupted on the final whistle.

It has been a very difficult season for Gloucester fans having to watch nine consecutive Gallagher Premiership defeats but they have been a different side in cup competitions, unbeaten in the EPCR Challenge Cup, as well as in this competition. This is by no means the biggest competition in club rugby but the roar on the final whistle and celebrations from the Cherry and White players left no one in any doubt what this victory means to the club. It has been a difficult week with club favourite Mark Atkinson being forced to announced his retirement due to a knee injury, but in a heartwarming moment skipper Lewis Ludlow called on him to lift the trophy together. Life will be more difficult when they return to Premiership action travelling to Welford Road to face a Leicester side with at least half a dozen internationals back in their side, but the singing of Queen and Neil Diamond with the crowd after the game is some nourishment for a club and supporter base who needed it.

There were few standouts in the first half when Gloucester’s attack was predictable and they were comfortably held by Leicester but the onslaught after the interval was led by their big No. 5. His spin move for the try, along with Ben Thorley’s late tackle, will be the highlight-reel moment from this game for Cherry and White fans to watch in the years to come.

Gloucester: Evans 6, Hearle 6, Llewellyn 6, Atkinson 7, Thorley 7, Barton 7, Englefield 6; Rapava Ruskin 6, McGuigan 7, Gotovtsev 6, Clarke 6, Jordan 8*, Ackermann 7, Ludlow 7, Mercer 7.

Subs: Blake 6, Clark 6, Clement 6, Hathaway 6.

Leicester: Brown 5, Bassett 6, Scott 6, Kelly 6, Hassell-Collins 7, Pollard 7, Whiteley 7; van Wyk 6, Theobald-Thomas 5, Heyes 6, Wells 6, Carter 6, Liebenberg 7, Rogerson 6, Hatherell 6.

Subs: Vanes, Whitcombe, Richardson, Cracknell, Ilione 6, Edwards 6, Shilcock 7, Cokanasiga 6.

25′ PENALTY! GLOUCESTER 0-3 LEICESTER (POLLARD)! We have broken the deadlock! Pollard kicked truly from just inside the Gloucester half.

40+1′ YELLOW CARD FOR THEOBALD-THOMAS! Another penalty for Gloucester and they will take the three. Then play against a 14-man Tigers outfit at the start of the second half.

48′ ANOTHER YELLOW CARD! Tigers are down to 13 for 150 seconds. Brown goes off and Gloucester have a penalty in front of the posts which they will tap.

49′ TRY! GLOUCESTER (ATKINSON) 8-6 LEICESTER! This time a quick tap works. Gloucester get a penalty from the scrum and Englefield quickly sees no Tigers are on the right and taps the ball before passing to Atkinson and he dives over.

52′ TRY! GLOUCESTER (JORDAN) 15-6 LEICESTER! Initially Clarke’s fantastic pass right to Thorley got them close to the line but then a couple of phases later Jordan made a fantastic pick up then pirouette through challenges to dive over the line.

54′CLARKE WASTES CHANCE! Leicester did not chase the kick off and then Clarke with the fastest man on the field, Thornley, outside him opts to go inside instead. Surely that was a try lost.

75′TRY! GLOUCESTER 23-11 LEICESTER (LIEBENBERG)! This time the No. 6 does dive over the line – and under the posts.

• 9 – The nine-year trophy drought for Gloucester is over.