AUSTRALIA 36 GLOUCESTER 5!

Quade Cooper scored 16 points, including a classic try, to spark Australia to an impressive 36-5 win over English Premiership club Gloucester at the Kingsholm Ground on Tuesday.
The five-tries-one win was the ideal tonic for a Wallaby team still reeling from their seventh straight loss to New Zealand - as they head towards the opening match of an attempted Grand Slam, when they meet England at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Cherry and Whites kept the Wallaby second stringers at bay for more than 60 minutes, but in the final quarter the floodgates opened as the tourists scored three tries in a 15-minute spell to race clear. First-half tries by centres Ryan Cross and Tyrone Smith sent the Wallabies on their way, before a late double by wing Drew Mitchell's and a Cooper solo score finished Gloucester off.

Cooper booted four conversions and kicked an early penalty, but locals will feel that Gloucester deserved more for their endeavour than fullback Freddie Burns' lone try. Gloucester, who fielded several fringe players and only a handful of internationals, displayed character and commitment by the bucket-load.

Also very few of the Australian starting line-up are expected to feature in the Wallaby team that will face England on Saturday. Yet, Australia, making their first visit to Gloucester since they beat the South West outfit 28 years ago, fielded a team containing nine internationals, but only one survivor - Cross - from last Saturday's defeat against New Zealand in Tokyo.

Gloucester though, greeted them with a shadow side, parading just four players that started the Premiership clash against Sale Sharks four days ago.

The Aussies opened the scoring with a third-minute Cooper penalty. The first try followed 11 minutes later. A 50-metre break from Tatafu Polota-Nau saw the Wallabies get a penalty two metres out from Gloucester's line. Cooper put a well-timed cross-kick in, with Ryan Cross collecting to score in the corner. Cooper converted - 10-0.
The Cherry and Whites then not only held the Aussies out, but they actually scored the next try. All Black Carlos Spencer put a trademark cross-field kick in, Gloucester wing Charlie Sharples took the kick and passed to fullback Freddie Burns. who scored in the corner! Spencer missed with conversion attempt - 5-10.

The second Wallaby try was brilliant in its simplicity. From a scrum 30 metres out from Gloucester line, Ryan Cross made a break and offloaded to Tyrone Smith, who scored. Quade Cooper converted to make it 17-5, which was also the half-time score.
The third try came from a quick line-out throw from Pek Cowan to Luke Burgess, who launched a blistering attack from his own 22, before offloading to Dave Dennis, who ran 50 metres, did an in-and-out and passed to Drew Mitchell who scored. Cooper added the conversion for a 24-5 lead after 65 minutes.
Mitchell scored his second try - following a long pass from Cooper to Ryan Cross, who offloaded to Kurtley Beale, who then drew the defence and passed to Mitchell. Cooper landed his fourth conversion to make it 31-5. Two minutes from time Man of the Match Cooper fielded a Gloucester clearing kick on their 40-metre line. He had players in support, but did a classic jink through the middle of the defence to score untouched. He failed with the conversion, but the Wallabies had wrapped up a comfortable win - 36-5.

The scorers:
For Gloucester:
Try: Burns

For Australia:
Tries: Cross, Smith, Mitchell 2, Cooper
Cons: Cooper 4
Pen: Cooper

Gloucester Rugby: 15 Freddie Burns, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Henry Trinder, 12 Tim Molenaar, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 Dave Lewis, 8 Dan Williams, 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Jake Boer (captain), 5 Adam Eustace, 4 Will James, 3 Pierre Capdevielle, 2 Darren Dawiduik, 1 Paul Doran-Jones.
Replacements: 16 Ben Phillips, 17 Rupert Harden, 18 Dave Attwood, 19 Apo Satala, 20 Jordi Pasqualin, 21 Jonny May, 22 James Simpson-Daniel.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Tyrone Smith, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Richard Brown, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Mitchell Chapman, 5 Dean Mumm (captain), 4 Dave Dennis, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Pek Cowan, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Mark Chisholm, 19 Wycliff Palu, 20 Richard Kingi, 21 Matt Toomua, 22 James O'Connor.