Good afternoon, folks.
Welcome along to our liveblog of Connacht’s Pool 5 fixture against Gloucester.
Can Andy Friend’s side make it a clean sweep of victories for the Irish provinces this weekend?
The action at Kingsholm gets underway at 1pm and we’ll keep you updated throughout the game right here.
There’s a change to the Connacht bench from the matchday squad that was announced on Friday. Peter McCabe replaces Matthew Burke, who has been forced to drop out due to illness.
Gloucester
15. Tom Marshall
14. Louis Rees-Zammit
13. Chris Harris
12. Mark Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Joe Simpson
1. Val Rapava Ruskin
2. Franco Marais
3. Fraser Balmain
4. Gerbrandt Grobler
5. Franco Mostert
6. Ruan Ackermann
7. Jake Polledri
8. Ben Morgan (captain)
Replacements:
16. Todd Gleave
17. Josh Hohneck
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Alex Craig
20. Lewis Ludlow
21. Callum Braley
22. Billy Twelvetrees
23. Matt Banahan
Connacht
15. John Porch
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Bundee Aki
12. Peter Robb
11. Kyle Godwin
10. Jack Carty
9. Caolin Blade
1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Joe Maksymiw
5. Quinn Roux
6. Eoghan Masterson
7. Colby Fainga’a
8. Jarrad Butler (captain)
Replacements:
16. Jonny Murphy
17. Peter McCabe
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Robin Copeland
21. Stephen Kerins
22. Conor Fitzgerald
23. Tom Daly
Connacht began this season’s Champions Cup campaign with a home win over Montpellier, before going down away to Toulouse.
Gloucester are searching for their first win, having narrowly lost both of their games thus far — at home to Toulouse and away to Montpellier.
Kick-off is fast-approaching in Gloucester. Sean Farrell, our man at Kingsholm, will bring you a match report and reaction shortly after the final whistle.
According to Seanie, with the exception of a mild breeze, conditions there are decent.
A sizeable contingent of Connacht fans have made the journey in the hope of seeing their side record a first ever win against Gloucester, who are on a run of five games without a victory themselves.
Pascal Gauzère blows his whistle and the game is underway.
Gloucester 0 Connacht 0
3 – Connacht forced to be on their guard defensively early on, before the danger is cleared by Carty when Gloucester are penalised at the breakdown.
TRY! Gloucester 5 Connacht 0 (Tom Marshall, 4)
Gloucester 7 Connacht 0
4 – That’s not the start that Connacht would have wanted. Some individual brilliance from Marshall, who dances through a couple of Connacht tackles to score under the posts, leaving an easy task for Danny Cipriani to add the extras.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 0
8 – Vital interception by Connacht’s John Porch to deny Chris Harris what would almost certainly have been a second Gloucester try.
TRY! Gloucester 7 Connacht 5 (John Porch, 9)
Gloucester 7 Connacht 7
9 – Connacht are back on level terms thanks to a fantastic try by Porch which was set up by a lovely offload from Jack Carty, who then stepped up to convert. Very entertaining start to this game.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 7
11 – Relief for Carty as his attempted chip over the top is blocked by Marshall, but the potential breakaway for Gloucester is scuppered as the referee deems that Marshall had knocked forward.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 7
16 – Gloucester have introduced Billy Twelvetrees due to a blood injury to Mark Atkinson, with Connacht now on the attack inside Gloucester’s 22.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 7
17 – Penalty to Connacht after Gloucester collapse the maul.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
18 – Carty capitalises on the opportunity to put the visitors ahead.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
20 – Scrum to Connacht on halfway after Gloucester are penalised for a forward pass.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
23 – Blade releases Porch to launch another attack down the left flank before he’s forced into touch. Gloucester lose a turnover following their own lineout, but Connacht then lose the momentum and a penalty is awarded to the hosts for not rolling away.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
25 – Gloucester on the charge but concede another penalty at the breakdown. Fine defending there by Adeolokun and Robb.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
27 – More pressure from Gloucester but it culminates in the home side coughing up a breakdown penalty yet again. Brilliant stuff from Bundee Aki in attempting to force the turnover.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
28 – A change for Connacht as Robin Copeland comes in for the injured Colby Fainga’a.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
28 – Carty’s kick to touch isn’t his best so Connacht remain under pressure.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
30 – After a combination of more Gloucester sloppiness in attack and disciplined Connacht defending, Carty finds touch just inside the Gloucester half.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
31 – Concern for Connacht as Atkinson breaks through but he then loses his footing before he can release Simpson to score. A big stroke of luck for Andy Friend’s side.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
34 – Quinn Roux penalised for coming in at the side when Gloucester looked to drive their way over following a lineout. The hosts go to touch again.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
34 – A narrow escape again for Connacht. Marais appears to force his way over but the TMO deems that the ball was lost forward.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
36 – Wind and rain now picking up at Kingsholm.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
38 – Big boost for Connacht as they win a penalty from a scrum just inside their own half. Carty finds touch inside Gloucester territory.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
39 – A penalty for Connacht at the lineout after Mostert takes the man in the air. Carty will go for the posts, about 45 metres out.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
40 – Decent effort from Carty but it drifts just wide.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
40 – A big tackle by Mostert on Carty thwarts a Connacht attack. Gloucester on the charge now looking for a score before the interval.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
40 – It comes to nothing and that’s the interval.
Half-time: Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
41 – The game has resumed at a blustery Kingsholm, with the wind at Gloucester’s backs for the second half.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
41 – Great start for Gloucester as Cipriani finds touch in the corner.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
42 – A clever lineout relieves the pressure on Connacht.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
44 – Ironic cheers from the Gloucester fans towards the referee — who they’re not happy with today — as he awards them a scrum following McCartney’s forward pass to Robb.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
45 – Godwin finds touch as Connacht make their way into Gloucester territory.
Gloucester 7 Connacht 10
46 – Connacht win the lineout and begin to turn the screw in attack.
TRY! Gloucester 12 Connacht 10 (Louis Rees-Zammit, 47)
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
47 – Disaster for Connacht. Carty’s pass is intercepted by Cipriani. He breaks and eventually offloads to Louis Rees-Zammit who puts Gloucester back in front, with Cipriani adding the extras.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
50 – Carty’s kick for touch is heavy and goes out on the full. It’s been an error-strewn start to this second half for the visitors.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
53 – Gerbrandt Grobler scuppers a Gloucester attack by knocking forward, before Conor Fitzgerald replaces Jack Carty on the Connacht team. Fitzgerald is immediately penalised for a forward pass, which looked like a slightly harsh call.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
55 – Simpson’s grubber off the back of the scrum forces Connacht back into their own 22.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
55 – Dominic Robertson-McCoy has replaced Finlay Bealham for Connacht.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
56 – Moments after coming on, Ultan Dillane is penalised for a high tackle. Gloucester go to the corner in search of a third try.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
58 – Sustained period of pressure from Gloucester now, Connacht will need to be disciplined to survive this.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
58 – The TMO is checking the grounding on a potential Gloucester try but it’s good news for Connacht. The referee goes back to a penalty for the hosts instead. It could have been a handy three-pointer for Cipriani but they’ve opted for a scrum.
Gloucester 14 Connacht 10
60 – Kyle Godwin pays the price for consistent Connacht infringements. He’ll spend the next 10 minutes in the sin bin.
TRY! Gloucester 19 Connacht 10 (Tom Marshall, 61)
Gloucester 19 Connacht 10
61 – That was coming. Simpson peels away from the scrum and releases Marshall to dart through for this second try, which Cipriani was unable to convert.
TRY! Gloucester 24 Connacht 10 (Jake Polledri, 64)
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
64 – Polledri marches through some slack Connacht tackling and seals the bonus point, with Cipriani converting. All of a sudden, Gloucester now have a commanding lead.
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
69 – A bit of respite for Connacht as Fitzgerald finds touch inside the Gloucester half.
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
71 – Great break by Masterson just ends short of the line, and the ball is ultimately held up, according to the referee.
Kyle Godwin’s spell in the sin bin has just ended.
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
72 – Connacht, with an advantage in the back pocket, are hammering away at the Gloucester line.
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
72 – It eventually comes back for a Connacht scrum. They’ll be disappointed to come out of this spell empty-handed.
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
73 – Further infringing from Gloucester earns an advantage for Connacht and a yellow card for Billy Twelvetrees for offside.
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
77 – Connacht are still plugging away here, their momentum being interrupted by frequent penalties. Another yellow card for Gloucester could be coming.
Gloucester 26 Connacht 10
78 – Dominic Robertson-McCoy forces his way over, the TMO is summoned and — perhaps surprisingly — determines that the ball is lost forward. Extremely frustrating for Connacht.
TRY! Gloucester 26 Connacht 15 (Quinn Roux, 80)
Gloucester 26 Connacht 17
80 – Quinn Roux eventually bulldozes his way over for Connacht, and even with Fitzgerald’s conversion, it’s scant consolation for Andy Friend’s side today.
Full-time: Gloucester 26 Connacht 17
