BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | Mercier sees off Saints

Gloucester 18-9 Northampton

Ludovic Mercier sent Gloucester seven points clear at the top of the Zurich Premiership with a goalkicking masterclass to thwart Saints.

The French fly-half booted five penalties at rain-soaked Kingsholm as the Cherry-and-Whites bounced back from a first league defeat at Wasps last weekend.

Scrum-half Andy Gomarsall added the other three points with a 50-metre drop goal which defied the conditions.

Match facts:

Gloucester 18 (6)
Pens: Mercier 5
Drop goal: Gomarsall

Northampton 9 (9)
Pens: Grayson 2, Dawson

It underlined his claims for England honours against New Zealand next weekend in his personal duel with Saints rival Matt Dawson.

But it was a close shave for the league leaders, who were matched in most departments by an impressively committed Northampton outfit.

Zurich Premiership photos

Torrential rain dictated that backs on both sides were often reduced to bystanders, and the Saints pack pushed Gloucester's forwards all the way in a ferocious battle.

But Mercier thrilled a capacity 11,000 crowd, landing five penalties from six attempts in appalling weather to keep the visitors at bay.

It was a huge win - you have got to win games like that and we came through it

Gloucester boss
Nigel Melville

Skipper Phil Vickery was a dominant figure, although he will have his fair share of bumps and bruises, while Gomarsall was an effective link and hooker Olivier Azam also gave it everything for the hosts.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes due to the late arrival of South African referee Jonathan Kaplan, who will also be in charge at Twickenham next weekend.

Gloucester struck first through an early Mercier penalty, but Paul Grayson quickly cancelled out Gloucester's lead before he and Mercier kicked another penalty apiece.

Gloucester wing James Simpson-Daniel (right) cuts inside Northampton's Mark Tucker
Simpson-Daniel (right) cuts inside Mark Tucker
Gomarsall required some strapping to his left thigh, a potentially worrying sight for England coach Clive Woodward, but he was able to run off the problem.

Grayson was not so lucky, having to depart injured six minutes before the break, and Dawson immediately found his range with a penalty goal when he took over kicking duties.

An intense forward contest took an inevitable toll and as the first half drew to a close, Gloucester lost influential number eight Junior Paramore, who was replaced by Peter Buxton.

Gloucester, three points adrift at the break, drew level on 44 minutes when Mercier completed his penalty hat-trick.

Matt was outstanding, he gave us a lot going forward - but Clive won't go on one game

Saints' Wayne Smith on
scrum-half Dawson

Another Mercier penalty 10 minutes later gave Gloucester a lead they were never to lose.

Northampton's forwards, orchestrated by the lively Dawson, kept plugging away but Gloucester had more juice left in the tank and they finished strongly.

Mercier's fifth penalty was followed by Gomarsall's astonishing drop goal, which denied Northampton a bonus point

Gloucester: Delport; Garvey, Fanolua, Todd, Simpson-Daniel; Mercier, Gomarsall; Woodman, Azam, Vickery, Eustace, Cornwell, Boer, Forrester, Paramore.
Replacements: Stuart-Smith, Beim, Catling, Deacon, Fortey, Buxton, Pearce.

Northampton: Beal, Sleightholme, Tucker, Leslie, Cohen, Grayson, Dawson, Smith, Thompson, Morris, Phillips, Connors, Blowers, Pountney, Seely.
Replacements: Budgen, Stewart, Hunter, Soden, Howard, Brooks, Hyndman.

Att: 11,000

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa).


	Links to more English stories