Gloucester 30 Chiefs 19

Gloucester 30

Exeter Chiefs 19 

Mark Stevens at Kingsholm

Exeter’s hopes of reaching a first-ever European Challenge Cup Final ended in disappointment as rivals Gloucester prospered in an all-action last four meeting at Kingsholm.

Rob Baxter’s side put up a valiant display against their Aviva Premiership counterparts, but it was not enough as the Cherry & Whites advanced thanks in the main to converted tries from Billy Meakes, Tom Savage and Jonny May.

Greig Laidlaw and James Hook stuck the boot further into the Chiefs with the remainder of the points - and it will be Edinburgh who now await them in the showpiece event at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday, May 1.

The Chiefs did their best to go toe to toe with Gloucester - who won the competition back in 2005/06 - but Elvis Taione’s late converted try, plus four penalties from fly-half Henry Slade, were sadly not enough.

Fresh from completing a league double over defending Premiership champions Northampton Saints, it was hardly surprising that Baxter stuck with a largely unchanged starting line-up. The sole change made by the visitors was enforced as flanker Ben White was ruled out with a bang to the head, so the experienced Kai Horstmann came into the back-row.

Gloucester - unbeaten in the competition heading into the game - made three changes to their side that was defeated at Harlequins in the league last time out. Into the fray came Mariano Galarza and Matt Kvesic up front, while behind Henry Purdy’s inclusion on the wing meant a switch to full-back for Charlie Sharples.

With personnel in place and a raucous Kingsholm crowd on song, it was the Cherry & Whites who blitzed the opening exchanges, producing a ferocious opening that tested every inch of the Exeter defensive line.

However, the Chiefs were standing firm under the intense pressure and having matched everything Gloucester could throw at them, they masterfully turned over the ball, creating space for Phil Dollman to expose down the left.

As the Welsh full-back sped down the wing in front of the notorious Shed End, he offloaded to the onrushing Thomas Waldrom, who was eventually bundled into touch midway inside the home 22.

Moments later and the Chiefs threatened again, this time Will Chudley linking cleverly with Waldrom, whose forward advance was aided by skipper Dean Mumm. As the Aussie closed in on the try-line, a flurry of home bodies came to the rescue, thwarting the experienced lock right at the death.

Gloucester made the most of the let-offs and eventually opened the scoring on 18 minutes when Laidlaw plundered a penalty after Ian Whitten was harshly adjudged offside.

Home cheers proved short-lived, though, as within an instance the Chiefs were back on level terms, Slade landing his first kick of the night after Irish referee John Lacey penalised Gloucester for not rolling away at the tackle area.

The contest remained nip and tuck as it headed towards the interval, but with 30 minutes elapsed it was David Humphreys side that regained the lead, Hook’s clever grubber kick in behind the Exeter back line falling nicely for Meakes, who dotted down for the score which Laidlaw duly converted.

Minutes later and Gloucester were extending their lead to ten points, Hook landing a penalty from halfway after Lacey deemed the Chiefs had dropped a scrum just a metre or so inside the home half.

Undeterred, the Chiefs rallied well and having seen a potential score for Horstmann chalked off for a forward pass, they reduced the deficit through a second Slade penalty with the last action of the half, the Exeter marksman landing a second penalty after Nick Wood was pulled up for dropping a scrum.

HALF TIME GLOUCESTER 13 EXETER CHIEFS 6

On the resumption and the Chiefs were again quickly into their stride. A stunning kick chase out of defence from winger Matt Jess saw Gloucester centre Meakes knock on just metres from his own line.

With key field position, Baxter’s charges pushed hard in attack, forcing a series of raids that almost resulted in the imposing Dave Ewers crossing the whitewash. Again no try was awarded, but the officials did come back for an earlier offside and up stepped Slade to land his third kick of the game.

Now within shooting range of their rivals again, the Chiefs looked to press home their early advantage. However, they could not turn their possession into points and it was Gloucester who threatened again, this time Laidlaw firing a penalty chance wide of the mark after Whitten again fell foul of the officials for straying offside at a ruck.

At the other end, Slade had no such worries with the boot as he landed a fourth successful penalty after Kvesic was adjudged to have played the ball on the floor as Exeter looked to press home another significant chance.

Again, though, the Chiefs could not capitalise on the switch in momentum and it was Gloucester who profited, using a penalty to the corner to work a line-out move that - after two initial attempts - eventually saw lock Savage burrow his way over for the score.

Laidlaw converted that try and then added a penalty just a minute later as Exeter’s European dream started to evaporate into the night sky.

Now in ‘Last Chance Saloon’, Baxter turned to his bench to look for a way back into the contest. Messrs Taione, Johnson, Lewis and Steenson were all added from the sidelines - and it was the first of those names that did the damage.

Tongan hooker Taione was on hand to power over the line after the Chiefs went quick from a tap penalty deep inside the home 22. Steenson netted the conversion and all of a sudden it was ‘game on’ again with five minutes remaining.

From the restart, the Chiefs collected possession once more and looked to inch their way back downfield towards the Gloucester line. However, forcing the play was not what was needed at that stage and when Ewers looked to offload in the tackle, England speedster May pounced to deadly effect, gobbling up the ball before diving over for a third converted score.

That was effectively that for the Devonians, who must not ready themselves for a big push in the Premiership where a top four place is now the primary objective. Next stop for Baxter and his team, a first-ever visit to the Ricoh Arena where Wasps await.

Gloucester: C Sharples; H Purdy, B Meakes, B Twelvetrees (capt), J May; J Hook, G Laidlaw; N Wood (D Murphy 60), R Hibbard (D Dawiduik 77), J Afoa; T Savage, M Galarza (E Stooke 78); S Kalamafoni, M Kvesic, G Evans (R Moriarty 10). Replacement (not used): S Pulafisi, D Robson, B Burns, B Macken

Tries - Meakes, Savage, May; Conversions - Laidlaw (2); Penalties - Laidlaw (2), Hook

Chiefs: P Dollman (T James 39); I Whitten, J Nowell (T James 36-38), S Hill, M Jess; H Slade (G Steenson), W Chudley (D Lewis 71); B Moon (C Rimmer 66), J Yeandle (E Taione 71), T Francis (A Brown 60); D Mumm (capt), M Lees; D Ewers, K Horstmann (T Johnson 71), T Waldrom (S Skinner 80).

Try - Taione; Conversion - Steenson; Penalties - Slade (4)

Referee: J Lacey (IRFU)

Attendance: 11,507

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Wasps (A), Aviva Premiership, Sunday, May 26 (2pm)