Gloucester Edge Edinburgh in Gritty Challenge Cup Opener

Gloucester launched their European Challenge Cup campaign with a gritty 15-10 win over Edinburgh in stormy conditions at Kingsholm. Battling swirling wind and rain brought by Storm Darragh, the Cherry and Whites dominated the breakdown and exploited Edinburgh’s errors to claim victory. Seb Blake opened the scoring for Gloucester after 11 minutes, driving over from a maul to give his team an early lead. Edinburgh answered just before halftime when Wes Goosen shrugged off a tackle to score from a wide line-out play.

Both sides struggled to adapt to the challenging weather as the first half ended level. Santiago Carreras pushed Gloucester ahead early in the second half with a penalty kick, and the hosts retained control despite missing several opportunities. Christian Wade narrowly missed converting his chip-and-chase effort and the TMO ruled out a potential Gloucester try after determining the maul was held up. Edinburgh’s discipline crumbled as Tom Dodd and Marshall Sykes earned yellow cards in quick succession, giving Gloucester a decisive edge.

Albert Tuisue made the most of the numerical advantage, driving over from close range to secure Gloucester’s second try. The Cherry and Whites’ defense held strong against a late Edinburgh charge allowing only a last-second penalty from Ben Healy which handed the visitors a losing bonus point. This victory mirrored last season’s tightly contested group-stage clash where Gloucester edged out Edinburgh by a single point before advancing to the final.

Head coach George Skivington praised his team’s resilience under difficult conditions. Meanwhile, Edinburgh lamented missed opportunities and lapses in discipline. Gloucester now turns their focus to maintaining momentum as the tournament unfolds.