Talk of Gloucester and you think of an awesome forward presence. Explosive power was certainly brought to bear on the inconsistent Irish but it was allied to the kind of crisp handling and subtle footwork that produced five tries, all by forwards, and another compelling win that consolidates Gloucester's place at the top of the Premiership.
Leicester, who play host to the leaders on Friday, will prove a far more challenging hurdle than the Exiles, who blew hot and cold in a manner that makes a sorry contrast with their solid form of last season. Gloucester may have taken a good hour to tame the abrasive Irish pack but once they did the tries flowed and an extra bonus point became a certainty.
"It was a fantastic game for us," said Nigel Melville, Gloucester's director of rugby. "The spirit and belief of the team were impressive after we fell behind 16-13 against opponents who were very physical. We knew we'd have to score tries to be sure of winning - the Irish were always going to kick their penalties - but it took a long time to find a way through a tough defence."
It was nip and tuck until Gloucester opened the flood gates with both sides producing flashes of creative football when they were not falling foul of the referee due to over-abrasive tactics. Gloucester made a rod for their own backs, conceding a penalty try on the stroke of half-time as Andy Gomarsall pulled back the Exiles' full-back Michael Horak, who had been working hard to take a grip on the game. But Horak's brave efforts were ultimately no match for the powerful driving units Gloucester deployed once inside the Irish 22.
When Gloucester lost Robert Todd and Henry Paul to the sin-bin for rucking offences after the break, the Exiles trailed by only two points. But instead of exploiting their extra numbers the hosts regularly gave the ball away and found themselves desperately back-pedalling. Taking their cue from the try-scorers Adam Eustace and Junior Paramore, the Gloucester juggernaut placed a tightening stranglehold on the Irish and three further tries made their victory more than secure.
London Irish: Horak; Bishop, Burrows, Venter, Rossouw; Everitt, Edwards; Worsley (Hatley, 47), Drotske, Halford (Durant, 24), Strudwick (capt), Kennedy (Delaney 70), Gustard, Dawson, Sheasby.
Tries: Penalty try. Con: Everitt. Pens: Everitt 4.
Sin-bin: Dawson.
Gloucester: Paul; Garvey (O'Leary, 40), Fanolua (Catling, 73), Todd, Delport; Mercier, Gomarsall (capt); Roncero, Fortey (Azam, 32), Deacon, Fidler, Eustace, Boer, Forrester, Paramore (Buxton, 66).
Tries: Eustace, Paramore, Forrester, Boer, Roncero. Cons: Mercier 3. Pens: Mercier 3.
Sin-bin: Todd, Paul.
Referee: A Rowden (Berkshire).
Attendance: 8,449.
