With their sights set firmly on the double, the Old Pats took full advantage of the perfect playing conditions suited to their expansive, fast paced game as the league champions swept aside their Gloucester rivals to book a place in the final of the Papa John’s Community Cup next weekend.

Gaining early momentum has become a key feature of the Cheltenham side’s game and when skipper Kristian Taft nudged a grubber kick down the slope in the opening minutes, hooker Max Folkard barged over from the ensuing scrum after Widden fumbled the ball forward.

The visitors applied pressure through their significantly heavier forward pack forcing Pats into a sustained period of defence in their own half but a remarkable scrum turnover saw openside Archie Long come up with the ball in space and he out paced the defence with a 40 meter dash to the line.

Throughout the season it has been Pats sparkling young threequarters that have shone brightly but it was another of the Pats forwards James Mackintosh kept the score board ticking over with a typical bulldozing effort from short range for their third try making it 19-0 after 15 minutes of play.

From then on the pacey Pats backs kicked in with Jonny Fenley goose stepping his opposite number for a 50 meter run in, pouncing on a horrible bounce from another Taft kick ahead he dabbed for his brace under the crossbar.

Showing excellent hands and communication the Pats rampant back line taunted their opponents going close several times but it was powerful running Jamie Thorley who completed a sweeping move with the entire back line involved for a try out wide.

The huge boot of the Widden 10 was the visitor’s constant saviour, but from a scrum on the Pats 5-meter line the ball was won against the head, and when scrum half Sam Rhymes found Thorley, he sprinted the length of the pitch, swatting off would-be tacklers for an outstanding individual try between the posts, Rhymes converted taking the game out of sight at 47-0 as the half time whistle blew.

Pats emptied their bench as the second half progressed, and with the wind and the slope in their favour, the Gloucester men set about their revival using their powerful pack to maul their way to two virtually identical tries early in the second half.

Rhymes hit back with a converted try following a tackle-busting break by Taft from halfway, but the visitors were determined to have their say by winning the second half as missed tackles gave their threequarters a rare opportunity to show their paces with a well-worked try in the corner.

The Everest Road men had the final say when replacement Wyatt Dundas jinked and danced his way up the hill before finding Rhymes in space for his brace, completing a comprehensive win and a place in the final against Harlequins Amateurs at 11.00 am on Saturday the 6th of May at the home of Saracens RFC – The Stonex Stadium

Norman Bell