Tom Shanklin: ‘Excellent’ Gloucester ‘deserved winners’ in Challenge Cup quarter-final battle with Ospreys

Tom Shanklin said “you have to take your hat off to Gloucester” for their hard-fought performance against Ospreys in the EPCR Challenge Cup.

George Skivington’s side beat the Welsh outfit 23-13 to reach the semi-finals of the European competition, where they will face either Benetton or Connacht for a spot in the final.

Santi Carreras starred for the home side with six penalties to help get Gloucester over the line, which Shanklin felt was deserved.

“I don’t think you can fault what Gloucester brought,” Shanklin told TNT Sports.

“They’re deserved winners, their defence was excellent. I thought they won the physical battle, anything the Ospreys threw at them they were able to nullify.

“I thought they were very good at marking up, especially down the blindside. You have to take your hat off to Gloucester, they played the conditions well, they didn’t really go wide, and they kept it tight.”

Player of the Match Ruan Ackermann admitted that his team struggled in the first half but qualified which is all that matters.

“It never felt like we were comfortable, it felt scrappy and felt like we were fighting for every point really,” Ackermann said.

“Especially in the first half. There were patches where we were scrappy and patches where we were really good. We’ll take the win, it’s knockout rugby.”

Gloucester have had a poor season domestically and are currently second from bottom in the Gallagher Premiership, with only the winless Newcastle Falcons worse off.

Despite only managing four wins in 14 league games this season, they have had huge success in the cup competitions.

They won the Premiership Cup after topping a group which included Saracens and Harlequins, before beating Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers in the semi-final and final respectively.

Now, the two-time Challenge Cup champions are one step away from another European final and the chance to get their hands back on the trophy for the first time since 2014.

“It’s been weird old season, but we are enjoying Europe at the moment,” Ackermann added.

“We’re lucky and grateful to be going on to the semi-final.”

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