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Rugby Union

Leeds relegated from Premiership, Gloucester remain top

19/04/2008

Gloucester remain top of the Guinness Premiership following an emphatic 39-16 win over Leeds which included a hat-trick for flanker Akapusi Qera.

The result also confirms Leeds' relegation from the top flight having won just twice in the league this season and accumulating 12 points.

Quera put the Cherry and Whites ahead but Alberto di Bernardo reduced the deficit for Leeds with two penalties. However, Quera set up Olivier Azam to score Gloucester's second try and hand them a 17-6 lead at the break.

In the second half the home side ran rampant. Quera powered his way over from a line-out before completing his hat-trick a few minutes later.

Fly-half Ryan Lamb also scored a try to add to the 14 points he kicked as Gloucester moved three points clear of Bath.

The West Country side themselves managed to hold off a spirited Worcester team at Sixways thanks to three tries by centre Tom Cheeseman.

Worcester wing Miles Benjamin scored twice while Shane Drahm got another but two Olly Barkley penalties to Drahm's one meant Bath edged it 23-20.

Bath are now three points ahead of Harlequins, who started the day level with Bath, who slipped-up in their pursuit of a playoff place with a 13-6 defeat against London Irish.

Topsy Ojo scored the only try of the game and it proved decisive as Quins could only respond with two penalties from Adrian Jarvis which were matched by the Exiles' Eoghan Hickey.

Leicester Tigers moved into fourth place with a 32-14 win over Bristol. Aaron Mauger, Ben Herring, Tom Varndell and Andy Goode all scored as the Tigers bounced back from defeat against Bath in midweek.