Rugby Union: Dooley goes with the flow
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Gloucester. . . . . .9
London Irish. . . . 10
A BIT of wood and a ton of Irish grit deprived Gloucester of their first league win of the season - the penalty that would have snatched the lead hit the post literally in the last second.
But apart from this traditional luck of the Irish, it was their sheer determination and fire which really compounded the home gloom. In truth, Gloucester never even deserved a sniff of victory. They produced not a suggestion of a coherent attack let alone a well-wrought try. All their points came from the boot. Indeed, they might be ideal contestants for Mastermind - lots of points with no passes.
London Irish produced the only flowing rugby and might well have scored two more tries than the single one that graced the game. They did not because final passes failed to go to hand in a flurry of haste.
Gloucester crumbled in the scrum. The front row was bent double, often collapsing and conceding either a penalty or a strike against the head. In the tight, they were shunted back; in the loose, they lumbered about listlessly.
The backs looked leaden- footed, never more so than when the Irish centre Dan Dooley hinted at a sidestep and threw open a gap wide enough for him to stride under the posts.
In Gloucester they are not quite panicking about the prospect of Second Division football yet. They remain convinced that the extended league fixture list still offers opportunities for victories to turn up. On yesterday's evidence, though, it is difficult to see where they will come from.
London Irish brought a bugler whose rendition of 'Cockles and Mussels' from the stand raised the biggest cheer of the day. The 'Last Post' might have been better.
Gloucester: M Roberts; T Smith, P Holford, D Cummins, M Nicholson; P Beech, M Hannaford; P Jones, J Hawker, R Phillips, R West, D Sims, R Fowke, I Smith (capt), S Masters.
London Irish: R Hennessy; R Henderson, S Burns, D Dooley, M Corcoran; P Burke, R Saunders; N Donovan, R Kellam, G Halpin, A Higgins, M Keenan, P Collins (capt), R Jenkins, A Verling.
Referee: A Spreadbury (Somerset).
Scores: Burke (pen, 4 min, 0-3); Dooley/ Burke (try/conv, 15 min, 0-10); Roberts (pen, 19 min, 3-10); Roberts (pen, 35 min, 6-10); Roberts (pen, 45 min, 9-10).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments