Premiership: Gloucester 24-7 London Irish – Gloucester move up to second in table

Gloucester moved up to second in the Premiership with a hard-fought victory over London Irish.

Ollie Thorley doubled Gloucester’s advantage, but Ollie Cracknell replied to bring Irish within seven points.

Gloucester’s Adam Hastings kicked a late penalty, before Ackermann got his second to wrap-up the win.

This was a meeting of two of the league’s in-form teams, but Kingsholm has proved a difficult ground for London Irish over the years. Their last win there came in 2013, one of only two during the Premiership era.

Irish found themselves within sight of the try-line three times in the opening stages as they dominated. But the Gloucester defence proved a fortress, forcing Irish into errors and leaving them empty-handed.

Irish then gave away a penalty and Gloucester raced to their 10m line against the run of play. At the second attempt at a line-out, they drove forward and Ackermann went over.

Points were hard to come by during the first 40 minutes and while Irish broke up the pitch from their own 22, James Stokes was stopped in his tracks. Gloucester scrum-half Charlie Chapman was also expertly held up by Paddy Jackson over the line.

The effectiveness of the Gloucester maul was again at play as Thorley pushed them further ahead, with his second try in a week. With Irish’s defensive line pulled in and narrow, the winger had space to cross as the ball came wide.

It was eighth time in the Gloucester 22 for Irish as they finally got points on the board. Nick Phipps spotted a gap, from which Cracknell dived over.

With one score in it Irish were unable to claw themselves back into the game and Gloucester – aided by their replacements – made sure of a third straight league win.

Hastings kicked them 10 points clear, before Ackermann forced his way over for his fourth try of the season.

Gloucester: Moyle; Carreras, Kveseladze, Twelvetrees, Thorley; Evans, Chapman; Rapava-Ruskin, Singleton, Balmain, Clarke, Alemanno, Clement, Ludlow (capt), Ackermann.

Replacements: Socino, Elrington, Ford-Robinson, Davidson, Craig, Meehan, Hastings, Seabrook.

London Irish: Stokes; Rowe, Cinti, Van Rensburg, Loader; Jackson, Phipps; Goodrick-Clarke, Cornish, Hoskins, Simmons, Coleman, Rogerson (capt), Gonzalez, Cracknell.

Replacements: Willemse, Gigena, Van der Merwe, Munga, Pearson, O’Sullivan, Hepetema, Redmond.

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).