European Rugby Challenge Cup

Gloucester 35

La Rochelle 14

GLOUCESTER claimed top spot in Pool One of the European Challenge Cup with a 35-14 bonus-point victory over French side La Rochelle at Kingsholm.

The French side took an early lead when Kevin Gourdon seized on a loose pass to touch down but Gloucester responded through Mark Atkinson, Josh Hohneck and former Stow-on-the-Wold player Ollie Thorley to lead 22-7 at the break.

La Rochelle pulled one back early in the second half as David Raikuna broke out of a tackle to go over in the corner but two penalties from Greig Laidlaw put the game beyond the visitors' reach.

Matt Scott put the seal on victory – and secured the bonus point – by crossing from a fine angled run in the last minute. The sides are due to meet again in their reverse fixture on Saturday.

The result means Gloucester are five points clear of La Rochelle at the top of Pool One after their opening three group games. They defeated both Bayonne and Treviso in October.

David Humphreys' side, who won the Challenge Cup in the 2014-15 season, have won five consecutive games at Kingsholm, with their last defeat a 6-15 loss to Bath in the Premiership on October 1.

Gloucester: Halaifonua; Thorley, Scott, Atkinson, Purdy; Burns, Laidlaw (c); Hohneck, Matu'u, Ma'afu, Savage, Latta, Moriarty, Kvesic, Evans. Replacements: Hibbard, Thomas, Doran-Jones, Denton, Clarke, Braley, Sharples, Ludlow.