Gloucester Rugby 22-36 Hollywoodbets Sharks - South African side score three tries to seal Challenge Cup win

The Sharks' front-row domination led to them downing Gloucester to win the EPCR Challenge Cup final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The penalties from scrum count was 6-1, reflective of the dominance the South African side enjoyed up front.

Gloucester were the ones in control during the first 10 minutes of the match and almost scored when Johnny May knocked on just in front of the line - while opposition skipper Eben Eztebeth could easily have been penalised.

The Sharks made no mistake when it was their time with the momentum with Phepsi Buthelezi scoring a brilliant try and Siya Masuku perfect from eight kicks at goal.

Tries in the second half from Makazole Mapimpi and Aphelele Fassi put the game beyond doubt, though tries from Albert Tuisue and two in the final minutes from Freddie Clarke and Santiago Socino gave the scoreline a flattering look to the Cherry and Whites.

Coming into this game it was always the conundrum Gloucester needed to find an answer to. They knew what was coming against a front row with five World Cup winners' medals to their name but could not find an answer. Four scrums in the first half hour, resulted in four penalties. The act of desperation of changing their whole front row at half-time did not change their fortunes a great deal.

"Don't try and fight against a lion because they always fight harder," TNT Sports' Austin Healey said in the second half.

Showing the power of the commentator's curse, Gloucester won a penalty from the following scrum but another penalty shortly after gifted Masuku another three points and they went on to have dominance until the three heroes up front went off with 10 minutes remaining - after which Gloucester scored two of their three tries.

It could have easily gone to the Sharks No. 10 Masuku who ensured they got full value from their dominance up front. Eight perfect kicks at goal, in addition to an inch perfect cross-field kick for Mapimpi's score was a great contribution. However, it was the scrum which the game turned on. And Vincent Koch with his dominance at set pieces, 12 carries, 4 gainline successes and an unlikely 46 metres from kicks means he got the nod.

Gloucester: Carreras 5, May 6, Harris 6, Atkinson 6, Thorley 6, Hastings 7, Englefield 7; Ford-Robinson 5, Blake 5, Bamain 5, Clarke 7, Clark 7, Ackermann 7, Ludlow 6, Mercer 6.

Substitutes: Socino 7, Vivas 5, Gotovtsev 6, Tuisue 6, Clement 6, Varney 6, Hathaway 6.

Sharks: Fassi 8, Kok 6, Hooker 6, Venter 6, Mapimpi 8, Masuku 9, Williams 7; Nche 8, Mbonambi 8, Koch 9*, Etzebeth 7, Grobler 7, Venter 8, Tshituka 7, Buthelezi 8.

Substitutes: Mbatha 6, Mchunu 6, Jacobs 6, Richardson 6, Wright 6.

9' HARRIS FUMBLES ON THE LINE! Did he get the ball down or did he lose it? We will go upsairs...

26' TRY! GLOUCESTER 3-8 SHARKS (BUTHELEZI) Exceptional try from the number eight. Picking up the ball on the 10m line he dished out two hand offs before running into the 22 and dummying the last defender and charging over the line.~

40'GLOUCESTER HAVE CHANGED THEIR WHOLE FRONT ROW Bamain, Ford-Robinson and Blake are off. Vivas, Socino and Gotovtsev are on.

55'TRY! GLOUCESTER 3-27 SHARKS (FASSI) Fassi dives in under the posts. Mapimpi was stopped a metre from the line, but a couple of phases later, Fassi who began the move by chasing down a kick down the middle, raced in for another five-pointer - soon to be seven.

58'TRY! GLOUCESTER (TUISUE) 8-29 SHARKS With his first touch, Tuisue takes the ball in the maul and dives over the line.

60'TRY! GLOUCESTER 10-34 SHARKS (MAPIMPI) The good feeling didn't last long. Carreras again couldn't take the high ball and Masuku kicked perfectly to the left wing where Mapimpi on his own could catch and gleefully dive over.

71' TRY RULED OUT! May catches Hastings' kick on the volley and he kicks into the in-goal area where Varney touches down. But after Hastings quickly puts over the conversion the video referee disallows it because Varney was offside from the number ten's initial kick.

76' TRY! GLOUCESTER (SOCINO) 15-36 SHARKS A brilliant move ends with Clarke tip-toeing inside the touchline and basketball passing inside for Socino to run in and score.

79' TRY! GLOUCESTER (CLARKE) 22-36 SHARKS You can't argue with their spirit. They keep fighting to the end and Clarke raced the last 40m to score the try.

- - -

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing, NBA and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.