Dynamic Gloucester give Bears a mauling - Wade

GLOUCESTER secured the double over their West Country rivals to climb to third in a devastating display of attacking rugby.

- PAUL REES

Hard to think that this time last year they were on their way to being hit for 90 by Northampton.

Bristol picked up their customary try bonus point and remain second, but the frailties in defence they showed against Exeter last weekend remained and for once they were outplayed in attack.

Christian Wade and Seb Atkinson scored hat-tricks for Gloucester whose half-backs Tomos Williams and Charlie Atkinson wasted no opportunities to get on the front foot with Santi Carreras supreme at full-back as he confirmed to the crowd what they will be missing next season when he joins Bath.

Carreras read the last rites to a defence that he had been pulled every which way as Gloucester scored their highest number of points in the Premiership against Bristol, but despite all the tries there were still some big challenges with Chris Harris and Benhard Janse van Rensburg almost duelling.

The teams went into the derby with Bristol's league matches producing more than nine tries on average and Gloucester's eight. So it was not surprising that the opening seven minutes produced two tries, both scored by Gloucester who secured their bonus point before the end of the first quarter: