IRISH INDISCIPLINE PUNISHED BY GLOUCESTER
Toby Booth believes that the citing officer will have a busy time looking at the tape of his London Irish team’s 23-21 loss to Gloucester. Irish squandered at 15-point lead in a bruising encounter at Kingsholm – and the cherry and whites leapfrogged Booth’s club to go top of the Guinness Premiership.
Irish raced to a 18-3 lead thanks to tries from wingers Adam Thompstone, who was making his debut, and Topsy Ojo, and the boot of Peter Hewat. But Irish’s indiscipline was penalised and Gloucester flyhalf Olly Barkley clipped over six kicks, while fullback Iain Balshaw crossed for winning try nine minutes from time.
While each team had one player sin-binned - Gloucester hooker and skipper Olivier Azam and Irish number eight Chris Hala'Ufia – Booth reckons there may be more punishment to be dished out. "I thought there were quite a few leading elbows from various aspects,” he said. "It will be a very interesting review for the citing commissioner.
"I knew we would have to be on the edge. Were we on the edge too much? I don't think we were, to be honest.
"We penalised ourselves out of the game. We didn't have any ball in the second-half, and the ball we did have we kicked poorly away. We stopped doing the things we had been doing well.
"If it turns out we've been penalised for the same thing two or three times, then we've been pretty dull.
"We knew it was a massive challenge. What I am pleased about is the physicality we showed to live with people on their own patch.
“Gloucester is not the easiest place to come, and I am pleased with our physicality to live with them - it is just disappointing we didn't turn pressure into points.”
Toby Booth believes that the citing officer will have a busy time looking at the tape of his London Irish team’s 23-21 loss to Gloucester. Irish squandered at 15-point lead in a bruising encounter at Kingsholm – and the cherry and whites leapfrogged Booth’s club to go top of the Guinness Premiership.
Irish raced to a 18-3 lead thanks to tries from wingers Adam Thompstone, who was making his debut, and Topsy Ojo, and the boot of Peter Hewat. But Irish’s indiscipline was penalised and Gloucester flyhalf Olly Barkley clipped over six kicks, while fullback Iain Balshaw crossed for winning try nine minutes from time.
While each team had one player sin-binned - Gloucester hooker and skipper Olivier Azam and Irish number eight Chris Hala'Ufia – Booth reckons there may be more punishment to be dished out. "I thought there were quite a few leading elbows from various aspects,” he said. "It will be a very interesting review for the citing commissioner.
"I knew we would have to be on the edge. Were we on the edge too much? I don't think we were, to be honest.
"We penalised ourselves out of the game. We didn't have any ball in the second-half, and the ball we did have we kicked poorly away. We stopped doing the things we had been doing well.
"If it turns out we've been penalised for the same thing two or three times, then we've been pretty dull.
"We knew it was a massive challenge. What I am pleased about is the physicality we showed to live with people on their own patch.
“Gloucester is not the easiest place to come, and I am pleased with our physicality to live with them - it is just disappointing we didn't turn pressure into points.”
Labels: Gloucester, Guinness Premiership, London Irish, Toby Booth
