London Irish (18) 42
Tries: Armitage, Hodgson, Tagicakibau, Danaher Cons: Hewat 2 Pens: Hewat 6

Gloucester (9) 12
Pens: Lamb 3, Walker

Armitage scored the first of his side's four tries

London Irish demonstrated their title credentials with a crushing bonus-point victory over second-placed Gloucester.

The Exiles went ahead through two Peter Hewat penalties, and tries from Delon Armitage and Paul Hodgson allowed them to take a 21-9 lead into half-time.

But there was only one team in it after the break as Hewat's boot put the match well out of Gloucester's reach.

And Sailosi Tagicakibau and Declan Danaher sealed a comprehensive win with tries in the last five minutes.

The teams went into the game level on 27 points, with only points difference keeping the Exiles in top spot in the table, and London Irish coach Toby Booth described the game as an "acid test" for his team.

It was a test his players passed with flying colours as they extended their winning run in all competitions to 10 matches and more than two months.

London Irish led 6-0 after 15 minutes through two penalties from fly-half Hewat, before a spectacular solo try from Armitage saw him cut into a hole in midfield before outpacing the cover defence to score in the corner.

606: DEBATE Not to take anything away from Irish, but that performance from Gloucester was a disgrace GloucesterParker

Lamb and Hewat exchanged penalties before the break, but it was the home side who were on top in almost every aspect of the game.

Gloucester's frustration was clear for all to see, and Hewat took advantage as his penalties put his side firmly in control.

With the foundations for victory laid, London Irish went in search of tries and their third went to winger Tagicakibau after he went through four tackles to power over the line.

A richly deserved bonus point was secured with the final move of the game as replacement flanker Danaher ran in from 50m.

London Irish coach Toby Booth:

"You have to be very good to get a four-try bonus point against quality opposition and the Premiership is stacked with quality opposition, none more so than Gloucester.

"Being top of the league in December counts for absolutely nothing, but I'm pleased with the performance and delighted with the outcome.

"We won't know if we can stay there until the end of the season. Where we have probably wavered is trying to fight on too many fronts at one time."

Gloucester coach Dean Ryan:

"We were significantly second best in most parts of the game. We were poor and lacked energy.

"When you have got to chase from points down, it is difficult.

"Every contest we entered, we lost. We were so far behind that we had to play a game which was not conducive to getting a result.

"We got beaten in the kicking contest in the first 40 minutes which, basically, structured the game. We maybe had one or two set-pieces in their half as a result of losing that kicking contest and, at the same time, Delon Armitage jumped up and scored to keep us under massive pressure.

"The challenge for Irish is that the Premiership is not won on a day in December.

"I think there are key attributes to their game. Hewat gives them massive composure and there are four or five guys who are great individuals.

"Whether that can cut across nine months and be sustained remains to be seen."

London Irish: D Armitage; Ojo, Seveali'i, Mapusua, Tagicakibau; Hewat, Hodgson; Dermody, Paice, Lea'aetoa, Hudson, Casey, Thorpe, S Armitage, Hala'ufia.
Replacements: Geraghty for D Armitage (25), Danaher for Thorpe (51), Roche for Lea'aetoa (64), Buckland for Paice (75), Corbisiero for Dermody (75), Lalanne for Hodgson (78).
Not used: D Murphy.

Gloucester: Morgan; Foster, Watkins, Tindall, Vainikolo; Lamb, Cooper; Wood, S Lawson, Somerville, Bortolami, Brown, Buxton, Strokosch, Narraway.
Replacements: Azam for S Lawson (40), Dickinson for Wood (65), James for Bortolami (55), Satala for Buxton (42), Walker for Morgan (40), Adams for Lamb (57).
Not used: R Lawson.

Att: 12,706

Ref: Sean Davey (RFU).

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