Well, the old bruisers from the West Country did their best to generate a rousing finale, but this was rugby played on an empty tank. The cherry-and-white and blue-and-white supporters did their bit for a carnival atmosphere, but the greater number of blocks of empty green seats told of sporting interests elsewhere in June. In short, this was a Championship too far and no amount of fireworks and divas and dancing girls could alter the fact.
The match was dominated by the foreign contingents, which is another slightly disturbing reflection on the state of the game. Ludovic Mercier of France outbooted Felipe Contepomi of Argentina. Jake Boer of South Africa was man of the match. The tries were scored by Agustin Pichot, another Argentine Puma, Paul Johnstone, a sort of Scottish Zimbabwean, and Patrice Collazo, another Frenchman.
Did an Englishman make a contribution? Yes, Garath Archer gave away a penalty, by checking Junior Paramore of Samoa, in the closing moments, allowing Glouces ter to increase their lead to five points.
Ah well, to try to undo the altogether-negative element that seems to be pervading this - to say nothing of xenophobia - perhaps we'd better go right back to the beginning. To the very start, where there was a touch of quirkiness.
The kick-off is usually a bit of a mundane affair, being either a chip off a tee nowadays the height of a Mendip, or a long thump downfield. But this one was quite interesting. Felipe Contepomi, scorer of all the 32 points that had brought Bristol to Twickenham at the expense of Northampton, kicked the ball straight into touch. Having dropped the ball on a sixpence throughout last Saturday, he overcooked his first touch here. An Argentine hangover, no doubt.
So, the action really began with a scrummage on the centre spot, where Gloucester were awarded a penalty for one of those set-piece impenetrabilities that will kill the game as fast as rugby in June will.
Just to show Contepomi how to strike a kick, Mercier took the ball back a metre into his own half and sent it between the posts via the bar. The outside-half tried an even longer pot a few minutes later, but even though this one would have sailed over, it was off-line. Not so the rather easier kick minutes later, a penalty for a six-point cushion.
Bristol had already eased themselves out of the small hole, courtesy of a Contepomi penalty, even before Gloucester held out their first generous offering. Collazo collared Pichot high and was sent to the sin bin. The penalty was landed - Contepomi was back in his groove.
But then Bristol dug another hole for themselves. Their temporary one-man advantage was lost when Phil Christophers joined Collazo in the bin for an early tackle. The early tackle is becoming one of those fad fouls. Remember the spate of landing on the try-scorer after he'd touched down?
Anyway, Bristol were made to pay. Collazo came back on and plonked his large frame on the blind side, and then displayed an altogether sweeter touch by catching with one hand and releasing deftly inside to Boer. Mercier converted from the touchline and added a penalty that meant Gloucester led 16-6 at the interval.
Pichot started the second half by reducing the size of the divide. A penalty was awarded for a late tackle; the scrum-half shadowed the referee to the point of the award and took the tap to himself before Gloucester were anywhere near reorganised.
It should - and perhaps would in the winter months when spirits and stamina allow - have meant a sweeping turn of the tide. But Gloucester wearily turned one more screw up front and Bristol stopped enjoying possession of the ball. Terry Fanolua nearly scored after a dash for the line, but held on after he was eventually tackled.
No tries, but Mercier was clocking up the penalties. Two more to keep Gloucester's lead at nine points. And then replacement Johnstone took a flip-down from Ross Beattie and set off on a 30-yard sprint for the line. Fresh legs, eh? It was a sensational burst by the front-rower.
But not enough. Archer checked Paramore and the lead stretched again to five points. Contepomi hauled it back to two, but Mercier kept peppering the Bristol posts with drop-goal attempts that missed and a final penalty that sealed matters. Gloucester roared at the final whistle and so did everyone else, simply relieved that the domestic season was finally, finally over.
Bristol: Best; Williams (Drahm 70), Rees, Little (capt), Christophers; Contepomi, Pichot; Crompton (Johnstone 64), McCarthy, White, Archer, Brown, Short (Beattie 40), Lipman, Sturnham (Sheridan 50).
Gloucester: Paul; O'Leary, Fanolua (Catling 78), Todd, Beim; Mercier, Gomarsall; Collazo (Woodman 60), Azam (Fortey 74), Vickery (capt), Fidler, Pearce (Gillies 64), Forrester (Sewabu 74), Boer, Paramore.
Referee: R Maybank (London).
