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Gloucester Rugby are hoping to keep their 100% win rate against Benetton Rugby when the two sides meet in the EPCR Challenge Cup on Friday night.
The two sides have played each other four times in Europe – and the Gallagher Premiership side have won every single match. And Gloucester scored more than 30 points in every game – with the Italian side scoring fewer than 12 in each.
They meet once more in a Pool B clash at the Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester, kicking off at 8pm UK time.
Other key facts:
- Gloucester have only lost two of their last 30 home games in the pool stage of the EPCR Challenge Cup (W28) but one of those defeats came in their most recent such fixture, against Section Paloise in 2017/18.
- Following victory in their first trip to England in European competition (22-19 v Harlequins in November 1999), Benetton have since lost each of their 20 away games against Gallagher Premiership sides, including four matches in the Challenge Cup.
- Gloucester won each of their nine scrums during Round 1 of this season’s EPCR Challenge Cup, more than any other team; they were also one of the four teams to make 100% of their place kicks last weekend (3/3, also Section Paloise, Dragons and Zebre Parma).
- Gloucester’s Jack Clement made 18/18 tackles last weekend in the EPCR Challenge Cup, the most of any player to record a 100% success rate during Round 1 and the second-best tally overall.
Quotes:
Benetton’s Nacho Brex told the club website: “Gloucester is a strong team in the scrum and they like to play a lot, above all they try from the early stages to attack their opponents, so it’s a physical team that will try to play and give rhythm.”
Gloucester Rugby ran in eight tries as they beat Benetton Rugby 54-25 in Round 2 of the EPCR Challenge Cup at Kingsholm Stadium on Friday night.
The hosts race into an early lead as hooker Jack Singleton, scrum-half Ben Meehan and flanker Jordy Reid all crossed inside 30 minutes but tries from Benetton fly-half Rhyno Smith – who had earlier kicked two penalties – and flanker Sebastian Negri saw the visitors trail by just one point at half time.
But Gloucester’s scoring resumed after the break as Matias Alemanno went over to secure the bonus point before they were awarded a penalty try and Stephen Varney then dotted down.
A HUGE victory for @gloucesterrugby 😍
Catch the #ChallengeCupRugby highlights now 📹 pic.twitter.com/10F0od81cO
— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) December 17, 2021
Substitute Luca Morisi notched Benetton’s third score on 63 minutes but the Gloucester onslaught continued – winger Jonny May and replacement Jack Clement grabbing further tries before the game was up.
It was an impressive display from Gloucester who bounced back from their Round 1 defeat to Lyon last weekend – they now sit second in Pool B and don’t play again in the EPCR Challenge Cup until they host USAP in Round 4.
Benetton meanwhile are bottom of the pool and welcome Dragons in Round 3.
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