Gloucester (29) 41
Tries: Molenaar, Sharples 2, penalty, Hamilton, Morgan, Qera
Cons: Robinson 2, Burns
London Irish (3) 8
Tries: Hala'ufia Pens: Lamb

Gloucester eased into the last four of the LV= Cup as they comfortably ended London Irish's hopes at Kingsholm.

The game was all over as a contest by the break as the Cherry and Whites ran in five unanswered first-half tries.

Centre Tim Molenaar, Charlie Sharples, lock Jim Hamilton and Olly Morgan all crossed, along with a penalty try.

Chris Hala'ufia replied after the break, but flanker Akapusi Qera ran in Gloucester's sixth try late on before winger Sharples added a second.

Sharples would have had a hat-trick if Irish wing Sailiosi Tagicakibau had not impeded him with the line two metres way, costing the Samoan 10 minutes in the sin-bin and a penalty try.

The two sides meet again in the Premiership on 18 February, when Irish head coach Toby Booth expects his side to be far more competitive.

Gloucester are already relishing their home semi-final at Kingsholm. And, if Newport Gwent Dragons beat Scarlets at Rodney Parade on Sunday, they could be travelling up the M5 next month, having already beaten the Cherry and Whites in the group stages.

Cherry and Whites assistant coach Carl Hogg told BBC Gloucestershire:
"We knew if we won today it would give us the opportunity to have a semi-final at home.

"Over the last two years we have been difficult to beat at Kingsholm. We don't know who we have yet but, in front of a full crowd, that is something we will relish.

"We played into the wind first half and stuck to our structure very well. We pretty much ran error free for 40 minutes and we took our opportunities.

"I though defensively we were very sound, and I was pleased with the effort, especially in the first half."

London Irish coach Toby Booth told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"It was a shell-shock first half. You have to give Gloucester credit for playing the way they did. They were obviously up for the game, got on a rollercoaster and didn't let it stop.

"We came second by some considerable distance. Our work on denying them position was not good enough and we got punished.

"We have to make sure we learn our lesson very quickly. We've got to leave it behind, move on now and worry about Newcastle next week. Our focus is on the Premiership."

Gloucester: Morgan; Sharples, Molenaar, Fuimaono-Sapolu, Voyce; Robinson, Lewis; Wood, Azam, Harden; Hamilton, Brown; Buxton, Hazell, Strokosch.
Replacements: Dawidiuk, Thomas, Capdevielle, James, Qera, Pasqualin, Burns, May.

London Irish: Ojo; Thompstone, Mapusua, Bowden, Tagicakibau; Lamb, Allinson; Murphy, Blaney, Ion; Kennedy, Roche; Gibson, S Armitage, Stowers.
Replacements: Herring, W Johnson, Lahiff, Hala'ufia, Thorpe, Seveali'i, Malone, Lalanne.

Referee: Gwyn Morris (Cardiff).

Attendance: 10,686.

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