European Challenge Cup: Gloucester 28-17 Clermont Auvergne - English side make it two wins from two

Gloucester have started their European Challenge Cup campaign with two wins from two

Gloucester claimed an impressive victory over Clermont Auvergne to make it two wins out of two in the European Challenge Cup.

The English side, second from bottom of the Premiership, produced a strong performance at Kingsholm.

The win was built on a fine first-half display with tries from Jonny May and two from Santiago Socino.

Despite Baptiste Jauneau and Pita Gus Sowakula scores, the French side were unable to come away with a bonus point.

The Cherry and Whites had entered the Challenge Cup on the back of six straight Premiership defeats, before a much-changed side beat Black Lion in Georgia on 9 December.

But this was a step up against a side who have won this competition three times, and also lost three European Cup finals in five seasons between 2013 and 2017, although Clermont had a disappointing 10th-place finish in last season's Top 14.

An early Jules Plisson penalty put the visitors in front before a Zach Mercer offload sent May bursting through a tackle with his momentum taking over him for his first try since announcing his England retirement.

But the lead was short-lived as a break from full-back Alex Newsome ended with Jauneau scoring in the corner.

However, Gloucester had taken control by half-time thanks to two tries in five minutes from Argentina hooker Socino, driving over on both occasions after strong work from the home pack.

The boot of fly-half Santiago Carreras kept the scoreboard ticking over after the break and despite a try from All Black Sowakula, they could enjoy a first home win in front of the Shed since mid-October.

Gloucester head coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

"The result is obviously brilliant, but what I'm most pleased about is that looked like the Gloucester we pride ourselves on being.

"We represented everyone really well.

"It's been a little while coming, but the effort, the energy and the physicality the boys put out there today was outstanding."

Gloucester: Rees-Zammit; May, Harris, Llewellyn, Thorley; Carreras, Varney; Elrington, Socino, Balmain, Clarke, Alemanno, Clement, Ludlow, Mercer.

Replacements: McGuigan, Ford-Robinson, Gotovtsev, Jordan, Donnell, Chapman, Atkinson, Evans.

Clermont Auvergne: Newsome; Delguy, Fouyssac, Darricarrere, Roziere; Plisson, Jauneau; Bibi Biziwu, Beheregaray, Slimani, Lanen, Lavanini, Sowakula, Kremer, Lee.

Replacements: Fourcade, Falgoux, Kiteau, Simmons, Tixeront, Bezy, Belleau, Moala.

Referee: Hollie Davidson