Summary

  1. 'A great comeback'published at 21:07 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    That's a great comeback.

    It's not just down to the three subs, it's an eight man effort.

    That's a massive turnaround from what was happening before half-time.

  2. Postpublished at 43 mins

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Much better scrum from Gloucester as they secure the ball and then their new front row push Sharks back.

    We didn't see that at all in the first half.

  3. Postpublished at 42 mins

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Scrum time!

    Gloucester put in...

  4. Postpublished at 41 mins

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    And immediately Gloucester's Ollie Thorley gives away a penalty for holding on.

    Not ideal.

  5. Kick-offpublished at 21:03 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Gloucester get things back under way.

    Can they get Jonny May into the game? Can their replacement front row find any answers in the scrum?

    The next 40 minutes or so will tell us...

  6. Postpublished at 21:00 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    HT: Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    As expected, Gloucester are changing their front row at the break.

    Jamal Ford-Robinson, Seb Blake and Fraser Balmain are all coming off.

    Santiago Socino, Mayco Vivas, Kirill Gotovtsev will start the second half.

  7. 'Sharks are thinking job done'published at 20:58 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    HT: Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Simon Devereux
    Former Gloucester forward on BBC Radio Gloucestershire

    Sharks score a tryImage source, Rex Features

    The Sharks are thinking job done, they feel like they are bossing the game. We didn't see that in the first 20 minutes, did we?

    16-3, it doesn't seem to reflect the balance of the game.

    Gloucester have lost four, five, six scrums.

    It's Gloucester's scrum, they know where they are going and yet somehow they look outnumbered. There's some miscommunication going on there.

  8. 'The physicality of Sharks'published at 20:55 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    HT: Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    The scrum has been utterly dominated by the Sharks.

    The physicality of the Sharks, the nature of the way they've attacked Gloucester in the scrum - they are absolutely direct.

    We said before the game, the one area that would find Gloucester out if they got stuck in the cycle of scrum, penalty, drop ball, scrum was that part of the game and it's proved to be that.

    They've got to come up with something to get points on the scoreboard.

  9. 'May casting a lone figure'published at 20:52 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    HT: Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Sophie Hurcom
    BBC Sport at Twickenham

    Whenever there's been a pause in play, Gloucester's backs have gathered for a quick huddle.

    But after that opening 10 minutes of pressure, Gloucester's attack just hasn't been able to get going and can barely gain any metres going forward against this strong Sharks' defensive pack. They've gone side to side, then backwards.

    Winger Jonny May - on his final appearance before leaving the club - has often cast a lone figure by the touchline in front of us and often been looking up to the sky as he paced back and forth. Penny for his thoughts right now?

    Jonny May looks to the skyImage source, Rex Features
  10. Half-timepublished at 20:48 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    A half dominated by Sharks' forwards.

    Gloucester knew how good the South Africans could be at scrum time, but they've had no answers.

    Phepsi Buthelezi scored the only try of the half, bursting through with pace and power.

    Big team talk coming up for George Skivington. His side need to find a way of competing in the pack.

    Sharks at the scrumImage source, Rex Features
  11. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    And another scrum with a Gloucester put in.

    What's this one going to bring?

    Gloucester get it out and spin the ball wide, but are then guilty of going over the top at the breakdown.

    Sharks penalty. More indiscipline from Gloucester.

  12. Postpublished at 38 mins

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Gloucester get the ball out of the scrum without an infringement!

  13. Postpublished at 37 mins

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Gloucester's Ollie Thorley clatters into the back of Francois Venter and then into Aphelele Fassi as the Sharks man tries to claim a high ball.

    The referee takes a look but decides it's a knock-on by Fassi. Scrum to Gloucester.

    You know where this is going...

  14. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:42 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    #bbcrugby, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Andrew Priestley: A Sharks feeding frenzy at scrum time.

  15. 'The scrum costing Gloucester'published at 20:42 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    Gloucester 3-16 Sharks

    Simon Devereux
    Former Gloucester forward on BBC Radio Gloucestershire

    It's relentless, Siya Masuku's kicking.

    Gloucester just can't deal with the scrum and it's costing them.

  16. Penalty: Gloucester 3-16 Sharkspublished at 20:41 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    Siya Masuku

    Four from four for Siya Masuku.

    Straight through the middle from 34 metres.

  17. Postpublished at 35 mins

    Gloucester 3-13 Sharks

    This is getting silly now.

    Gloucester win a scrum on halfway following some good work from Santi Carreras, but it collapses and Sharks get the penalty. Their fourth from a scrum.

    Siya Masuku will kick from 34 metres...

  18. 'The power of the scrum'published at 20:37 British Summer Time 24 May 2024

    Gloucester 3-13 Sharks

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    That early momentum from Gloucester has swung all the way back via the power of the scrum to the Sharks.

    You can see why they might have struggled this season because their attack is clunky at best, but they've just got awesome athletes on their team that can get them going forward when it seems like there should be none.

  19. Penalty: Gloucester 3-13 Sharkspublished at 31 mins

    Siya Masuku

    Another infringement by Gloucester in front of the posts and Siya Masuku will look to stretch Sharks' advantage to 10 points.

    And the fly-half makes no mistake.

    Gloucester are looking a bit ragged as this half draws on. They're being pummelled up top.

  20. Postpublished at 29 mins

    Gloucester 3-10 Sharks

    Sharks are showing their dominance in the scrum as they win a third penalty.

    The South Africans kick to touch.