Gloucester into cup quarters with Montpellier win

European Challenge Cup

Montpellier: (17) 17

Tries: Bouthier, Reus Cons: Reus 2 Pens: Reus

Gloucester: (14) 24

Tries: Thomas, Jordan, Ackermann Cons: Carreras 3 Pens: Carreras

Gloucester beat Montpellier to set up a European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Premiership rivals Bath.

The Cherry and Whites recovered from a nightmare start where they conceded two tries in the opening nine minutes, to shut out the hosts in the second half in France.

Tries from Anthony Bouthier and Hugo Reus were cancelled out by scores from Freddie Thomas and Cameron Jordan, before Reus's penalty gave Montpellier a three-point lead at the break.

Gloucester went ahead for the first time in the match despite being a player down, with scrum-half Caolan Englefield in the sin-bin, as Ruan Ackermann's converted score gave the visitors a four-point lead.

Argentina international Santiago Carreras completed a perfect day of kicking with a penalty on 80 minutes to seal the victory and send Gloucester into the quarter-finals.

The hosts took the lead inside six minutes as full-back Bouthier ran into the corner following a break forward from France international flanker Lenni Nouchi, with Reus converting.

Montpellier doubled their lead three minutes later as they took advantage of a missed tackle, with Nouchi off-loading to fly-half Reus to dot down between the posts and convert his own try.

Gloucester responded well to going behind and began to take the game to their opponents.

Skipper Lewis Ludlow thought he had hit back when he drove over after a strong maul from the visitors but saw his effort disallowed for obstruction.

But the Cherry and Whites were rewarded for their pressure soon after when Thomas powered over, with Carreras kicking the extras.

Jordan then finished a great carry by shaking off two challenges to power over the line and level the score.

The Premiership side rode a wave of pressure at the end of the half, with Reus kicking a penalty between the posts to regain the lead with the final act of the first half.

Englefield was shown a yellow card early in the second half for what was adjudged to be a deliberate knock-on, yet it was his side who pushed on despite the player disadvantage, before number eight Ackermann got on the scoresheet.

Christian Wade knocked on Englefield's pass a metre out from the line as Gloucester spurred a golden opportunity to open up the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining on the clock.

But the Cherry and Whites continued to push deep into the game and sealed the victory, as Carreras made it four from four from the tee with the match-ending penalty.

Gloucester will visit the Recreation Ground and take on Premiership leaders Bath in the next round next weekend for a place in the final four.

Montpellier: Bouthier; Lucas, Darmon, A Vincent, Bridge; Reus, Coly; Forletta, Tolofua, Haouas, Verhaeghe, Ngakuru, Nouchi, Simmonds, Vunipola

Replacements: Akrab, Abuladze, Hounkpatin, Martins, Becognee, Doan, Cadot, T Vincent

Gloucester: Carreras; Wade, Harris, S Atkinson, Morris; C Atkinson, Englefield; Knight, Singleton, Gotovtsev, Jordan, Thomas, Clement, Ludlow, Ackermann

Replacements: Blake, Ford-Robinson, Fasogbon, Clarke, Taylor, Gwynne, Chapman, Butler

Sin-bin: Englefield (51 mins)

Referee: Morne Ferreira