Andy Hazell turned in a top performance

Gloucester bounced back from their miserable experience in Munster last weekend to run eight tries past Saracens and claim their place in the Powergen Cup semi-finals.

James Forrester, playing at number eight, set the tone for the afternoon when he broke away from a 22-metre scrum inside the first two minutes to score the opening try.

And Gloucester did not look back, scoring almost at will before Forrester rounded off an afternoon of entertaining rugby with a 76th-minute score.

The way they responded [to last week's defeat] was a measure of the quality of the players we have Gloucester coach Nigel Melville

Signficantly, Henry Paul answered his Munster critics with a sound game, making only one obvious mistake and playing a key role in the home team's incisive attacks.

He even got himself on the scoreboard by converting the final try when Ludovic Mercier had left the field.

Flanker Jake Boer did put a stain on Gloucester's afternoon, however, when he was dismissed for a suspected punch in the 62nd minute.

Match facts

Gloucs: 52 (23) Tries: Forrester 2, Delport 2, Fanolua, Gomarsall, Eustace, Roncero. Cons: Mercier 3, Paul. Pens: Mercier Sarries: 20 (8) Tries: Winnan, Shanklin, Haughton. Cons: Little. Pens: Little.

After Forrester's early, unconverted try, Thinus Delport was next over the line but again Mercier was off target.

Saracens hit back with a try by Adryan Winnan and a penalty by Nicky Little.

But by half-time, Gloucester had pulled clear to 23-8 with tries from Terry Fanolua and Delport and a penalty by Mercier, who missed both conversions.

At the restart, Saracens shocked their hosts with an almost immediate reply by winger Tom Shanklin, who raced in past two defenders.

But scrum-half Andy Gomarsall and lock Adam Eustace put the issue beyond doubt with tries in the 47th and 60th minutes - both converted.

We have quite a lot of work to do on the front row Saracens coach Wayne Shelford

Argentinian prop Rodrigo Roncero then galloped over.

And, although a try by Saracens replacement Richard Haughton briefly stopped the Gloucester advance, Forrester and Paul stepped up to have the last word.

Gloucester: Delport, Simpson-Daniel, Fanolua, Paul, Beim, Mercier, Gomarsall, Roncero, Azam, Deacon, Eustace, Cornwell, Boer, Hazell, Forrester.
Subs: Stuart-Smith, Amor, O'Leary, Fortey, Molloy, Fidler, Buxton.

Saracens: Winnan, Shanklin, Johnston, Horan, O'Mahony, Little, Bracken, Storey, R. Russell, Marsters, Hooper, Yandell, B. Russell, Roques, Chesney. Subs: Croall, Parkes, Skirving, Hill, Kirton, Haughton, Sparg.

Referee: Dave Pearson

Attendance: 8,500