Mercier the sting in a classic tale

Gloucester 40 Northampton

Gloucester may not have much money but are they happy? You bet your life they are. Last night the Cherry and Whites deposited the Powergen Cup in what had been a bare cupboard at Kingsholm, condemning Northampton to yet another defeat in the national knockout competition.

After a fast and furious first half, which Northampton shaded 22-20, Gloucester piled on the agony, coming home like a Grand National winner, by four goals, three penalties and a drop goal to a goal and five penalties.

Both clubs had spirits to exorcise, the Saints after collapsing here to London Irish 12 months ago and Gloucester after an embarrassing defeat by Bath the last time they were in a Twickenham final, 13 years ago. It was Gloucester who possessed the ghostbusters in Ludovic Mercier, James Simpson-Daniel and James Forrester.

Simpson-Daniel twice capitalised on wayward passes from Matt Dawson to help himself to two tries, while the exceptional Forrester made a first-half try for Marcel Garvey and scored one himself in the second. Mercier contributed 20 points and it was his interception from Dawson at the death that sent the Saints to their fourth knock-out final defeat, three of them in the last four seasons.

The lead changed hands six times during an extraordinary first half, at the end of which the players needed water, oxygen and sunblock. Northampton, who were caught cold in last year's final, drew first blood when Paul Grayson landed a penalty following a promising move.

That was in the fourth minute, and a minute later the Saints were cursing their scrum-half Dawson. The man who normally gives the opposition nothing but grief presented Gloucester with a soft score. His pass went nowhere near a Northampton player but instead bounced kindly into the grateful arms of Simpson-Daniel, who could not believe his luck. The wing dashed over, Mercier converted and Gloucester were 7-3 in front.

They had a chance to go further ahead when Andrew Blowers pushed in a late shoulder on Mercier, the stand-off missing the penalty from the half-way line. However, Mercier dropped a goal to make it 10-3 before Northampton responded with 13 points in the space of five minutes. First Grayson missed a penalty from a deliberate knock-on by Terry Fanolua, but he soon added another when Simpson-Daniel was caught in front of his own posts. As Northampton were about to win quick ball, Rob Fidler fiddled with the flow and not only conceded a penalty but also received a yellow card.

The Saints then went marching in when Grayson sold a dummy in midfield, fooling Simpson-Daniel in the process. He slipped an inside pass to Nick Beal and the full-back sprinted around his opposite number, Thinus Delport, to score at the post. Grayson's conversion transformed the score from 10-3 to 10-16.

Gloucester were not behind for long. Forrester cut a swathe down the Northampton right flank and sold a dummy before spinning a pass inside to Marcel Garvey which resulted in the wing smashing through the last line of defence.

Grayson continued to punish Gloucester and added two more penalties to one by Mercier to give Northampton a 22-20 lead at the interval, which the players desperately needed. It was breathtaking stuff.

Gloucester, of course, wasted no time in regaining the lead. Two minutes after the restart they stretched the Northampton defence to breaking point when Henry Paul threw out a long pass to the right. It was not the best of deliveries, and as it bounced just before reaching Garvey, the wing cleverly flicked it on to Forrester, repaying an earlier compliment, and the No 8 beat Grayson down the right-hand touchline. Mercier made no mistake with the angled conversion.

The Powergen was now with the Cherry and Whites. Northampton suffered a blow when they lost Peter Jorgensen, who suffered a shoulder injury as he attempted to halt a typical charge from Fanolua. When Paul was tackled by Grayson without the ball, it was double jeopardy for the Saints. Not only did Mercier kick the penalty to put clear blue water between the sides, but Grayson was sent to the sin-bin for the tackle.

The Gloucester pack, as they had on two previous occasions this season, were proving the more powerful unit. When they won another penalty, Mercier nailed it from the half-way line. It was not the end of his contribution. In injury time, with Northampton pressing, Mercier intercepted a pass from Dawson and about 90 yards later Simpson-Daniel touched down for Gloucester's fourth try. The haloes were on Gloucester.

Tom Walkinshaw, the owner of Gloucester, who has seen the demise of his Formula One racing company which in turn has led to cuts at Kingsholm, got his hands on the cup. Gloucester's fantastic supporters gave him a rousing cheer. The team deserved their day in the sun, and there is no danger of Walkinshaw selling off the family silver.

Gloucester 40
Tries: Garvey, Forrester, Simpson-Daniel 2
Cons: Mercier 4
Pens: Mercier 3
Drops: Mercier

Northampton 22
Try: Beal
Con: Grayson
Pens: Grayson 5

Half-time: 20-22 Attendance: 75,000

Gloucester: T Delport; M Garvey, T Fanolua, H Paul (R Todd, 74), J Simpson-Daniel; L Mercier, A Gomarsall; T Woodman, O Azam, A Deacon, A Eustace, R Fidler, J Boer (capt), J Forrester, A Hazell (J Paramore, 60; E Pearce, 74).

Northampton: N Beal; B Reihana, P Jorgensen (C Hyndman, 67), J Leslie (co-capt), B Cohen; P Grayson, M Dawson; T Smith, S Thompson, R Morris (M Stewart, 53), M Lord, S Williams, M Connors (D Fox, 76), A Blowers, B Pountney (co-capt).

Referee: T Spreadbury (Somerset).