New Zealand full-back Walker walks all over Bath

Willie Walker’s 15-point haul sealed Gloucester’s second win of the season over Bath in the EDF Energy Cup at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Both sides made wholesale changes for the tie where derby honours were all that was at stake.

Former Bradford Bulls winger Karl Pryce made his senior debut for Gloucester and ex-Leeds Rhinos centre Chev Walker played for Bath as the pair continued their transition from rugby league.

Gloucester eased into a 17-5 lead at half-time largely thanks to the impact their forwards had on the Bath pack.

When former Kingsholm lock Rob Fidler gave up a penalty for not rolling away Gloucester opted for the scrum.

Bath caved under the drive and referee Dave Pearson headed to the posts to award the penalty try. Walker added the conversion to put his side 7-0 up in the eighth minute.

Mazy runs by half-backs Pietro Travagli and Chris Malone hauled Bath upfield but through their own errors and Gloucester’s gritty resolve they failed to find a way through.

The Cherry and Whites regrouped and stormed to within a few feet of the line, swinging the ball left, then right and left again for Adam Balding to twist over and score the second try in the 19th minute.

Walker put the extra points over with a glance off the post.

Malone ignored the posts twice to kick penalties into the corner and was rewarded when Dan Parkes, on his first start for Bath, burrowed his way over from the line-out.

Malone made a hash of the conversion to leave the deficit at nine points and Walker extended that to 12 with his first penalty on the stroke of half-time.

The former Otago fly-half scuffed his next punt after a dominant passage of play from the home side at the start of the second half.

Gloucester managed to stretch their lead with a break out of defence in the 52nd minute when a long ball from Walker to Olly Morgan got them moving.

Pryce made a few strides into Bath’s half before popping the ball inside to James Merriman who scampered unhindered to the line.

Gloucester tried to repeat the move a few minutes later but Mike Tindall’s chip out of the 22 was gathered by Ian Davey who glided infield, reclaimed the ball from Michael Stephenson and then let Jonny Faamatuainu do the hard work.

Tom Cheeseman finished the move off and Malone converted.

But Bath’s momentum fell away when Ward was sinbinned for killing the ball in front of his posts 15 minutes from time.

During his absence Walker added a penalty and handed off Chris Goodman to touch down the bonus point try.

The scorers:

For Gloucester:
Tries: Penalty try, Balding, Merriman, Walker
Cons: Walker 2
Pens: Walker 2

For Bath:
Tries: Parks, Cheeseman
Pen: Malone

Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 Karl Pryce, 13 Mike Tindall (captain), 12 Jack Adams, 11 Mark Foster, 10 Willie Walker, 9 Haydn Thomas, 8 Adam Balding 7 James Merriman, 6 Jake Boer,5 Will James, 4 Jonathan Pendlebury, 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Rob Elloway, 1 Patrice Collazo,
Replacements: 16 Jack Forster, 17 Ross McMillan, 18 Alex Brown, 19 Rory Lawson, 20 James Simpson-Daniel, 21 Brad Davies, 22 tbc

Bath: 15 Michael Stephenson, 14 Ian Davey, 13 Chev Walker, 12 Tom Cheeseman, 11 David Bory, 10 Chris Malone (captain), 9 Pietro Travagli, 8 Chris Goodman, 7 Jonny Faamatuianu, 6 Hottie Louw, 5 Rob Fidler , 4 Dan Smith, 3 Laurence Ovens, 2 Dave Ward, 1 Daniel Parkes
Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker , 17 David Barnes, 18 Jack Bentall,19 Jamie Miller, 20 Andy Williams, 21 Jack Cuthbert, 22 Mike Mangeolles

Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Touch judges: Ashley Reay, Roger Baileff (both England)
Television match official: Laurie Bryant (England)

365 Digital