Gloucester Warriors 46 Vs Oxford Cavaliers 18

Cavaliers push Gloucester for 60 minutes

Oxford Cavaliers managed to travel away with a full squad in what was a very hot day where Cavaliers injurys took its toll. In what was a very fractured game because of handling mistakes and penalties, it took 20 minutes for the first score to go in,after oxford's defence had worked hard against a larger warriors pack. Built up pressure from a repeat set allowed the warriors prop forward to burst his way over from short distance, then from the restart the warriors backline had its turn and a break out from the centres allowed them to punish a lapse in the cavs' defence, putting their winger in out wide.

Strong defence from Oxford was exchanged for some good attacking sets instigated from the ruck from Hooker Stewart Hannah using big forwards Ben Louisson and Jack Briggs to take the ball up, further on in the set Cavaliers Halves Owen Mc Caughan and Tom Waterfield took control putting centres Bodinham and Lynch onto the ball, after some considerable ground made, Hannah managed to sneak in near the posts from a pick and go allowing an easy conversion for Mc Caughan to make it 12-6.

From the Warriors restart, Cavs second row Jack Briggs pulled up with a neck injury and for precaution an ambulance was called and he was stretchered off to hospital, fortunately discharged later that day for a muscular injury. Oxford had become switched off and the Warriors managed to speeze a further score in before halftime after the interruption, making it 16-6 at the break.

After the interval the Cavaliers began to get into their stride using one out moves allowing runners Louisson, Lynch,Bodinham and loose forward Joe Hoare to come onto the ball at speed. New prop for the Cavaliers Tyson Blackstock managed to hit a gap and break his way through the warriors backline to go in for a score, Gloucester sneaked a converted try back but a solid performance by Quins academy player Calum Threiphold was capped by a break in the middle of the field, stepping two players and out pacing the fullback to go in over the white wash, a further break away try from winger Ben Bodinham,his fourth of the season gave Cavaliers hope of snatching the lead but missed conversions kept them out at 22-18 just coming into the final quarter.

A lack of subs rotation due to injury allowed the fresher Warriors bench to run in 5 unanswered tries in the last 20 minutes taking the shine off what was an impressive all round preformance for the Cavaliers in the first 3 quarters of the contest.

The rush of points from the Warriors made the final score on what was a sweltering day an unsightly 46 -18 for the visitors.