Gloucester vs Cardiff Blues LIVE: European Challenge Cup final latest score and updates
Follow the latest from the European Challenge Cup final in Bilbao
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Your support makes all the difference.The European Challenge Cup final sees Premiership side Gloucester attempt to win the tournament for the third time, but a resurgent Cardiff Blues stand in their way at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao.
After seeing off Newcastle Falcons in their semi-final, Gloucester will feature in their third final in four years, having won the Challenge Cup back in 2015 in defeating Edinburgh before losing out to Stade Francais last year.
The Cherry & Whites ended their Premiership campaign last weekend in disappointment as they were heavily beaten by Saracens, which allowed rivals Bath to pinch sixth place off them and qualification for next season’s Champions Cup. However, given that Leinster and Racing 92 – the two Champions Cup finalists – have already qualified as well as Cardiff, Gloucester are guaranteed a place in next year’s tournament regardless of this result.
But while Gloucester finished their domestic campaign with a whimper, Cardiff are very much on the up. A landslide victory over the Southern Kings was followed by the Champions Cup semi-final win over Pau, and although rounded off the season with a narrow 26-23 defeat by the Ospreys, they were still able to claim one of the six automatic qualification berths for the Champions Cup.
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What time does it start?
The European Challenge Cup final kicks off at 20:00 BST [21:00 CET] on Friday 11 May.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on BT Sport 2 from 19:15 BST and Sky Sports Action from 19:30 BST.
Teams
Gloucester: Jason Woodward; Tom Marshall, Billy Twelvetrees, Mark Atkinson, Henry Trinder; Billy Burns, Callum Braley; Josh Hohneck, James Hanson, John Afoa; Ed Slater, Mariano Galarza; Jake Polledri, Lewis Ludlow, Ruan Ackermann
Replacements: Motu Matu'u, Val Rapava Ruskin, Fraser Balmain, Freddie Clarke, Ben Morgan, Ben Vellacott, Andy Symons, Tom Hudson
Cardiff Blues: Gareth Anscombe; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Blaine Scully; Jarrod Evans, Tomos Williams; Rhys Gill, Kristian Dacey, Taufa'ao Filise; Seb Davies, Josh Turnbull; Josh Navidi, Ellis Jenkins, Nick Williams.
Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Brad Thyer, Scott Andrews, Damian Welch, Olly Robinson, Lloyd Williams, Garyn Smith, Matthew Morgan
Odds
Gloucester to win: 5/6
Cardiff Blues to win: 11/8
Draw (after 80 minutes): 25/1
30 mins: Gloucester look like they're in for their second try...only for Garces to chalk it off. Josh Hohneck's out-the-back pass to Ludlow is ruled to be forward, and that looked like a tight call. Garces may have been better off going to the TMO for that one, and the Gloucester fans in attendance don't hesitate in letting him know their thoughts.
38 mins: Gloucester break from their own half as Twelvetrees sucks in replacement Smith to create space for Trinder. The wing takes it into the Cardiff half, passes inside to Braley and he pops it to Mark Atkinson to go over under the posts. A real try of the season contender, and Twelvetrees' easy conversion makes it 6-17.
40 mins: Twelvetrees, who's been very good this half, slots a penalty on the hooter to extend the lead to 14 points with a long-range effort from more than 40 metres. That send Gloucester in at the break 6-20 up and looking good money for their value.
Half-time: By all accounts that was close to perfect for Gloucester. They scored two excellent tries, kept their own try line intact and have looked rarely threatened throughout the opening 40 minutes. For Cardiff it's a long way back from here, but the key point is it's doable and only needs two converted tries to pull it back level. The question now though is do they have the desire to turn this game on it's head?
Henry Trinder has looked sharp so far and it's fair to say his talents are wasted out on the wing, although Billy Twelvetrees has also been impressive, while Ellis Jenkins has stood out for the Blues in defence.
Half-time: The players are back out and the second half is about to begin. Can Cardiff Blues fight their way back into this one?
41 mins: What a start for the Blues! Anscombe spots a space and chips over the Gloucester line before collecting his own kick. Heading towards touch, he chips back in-field and the scrum-half Tomos Williams is chasing it. He gets a boot to the ball, which deflects back off the post protector, wins the foot race with opposite number Braley and dives over to score beneath the posts. Evans adds the simple conversion and the lead is immediately cut to seven points. This one's just come alive! 13-20
50 mins: Polledri thinks he's turned the ball over as he whips it out of a Cardiff ruck but Garces penalises the Italian flanker for going off his feet as his arms are on the ground, much to his frustration. It does give Evans a chance to cut the lead further tough, and he duly takes it to make the score 16-20.
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