“I have got the date in the diary circled for Cardiff Met away in the new year, I am so excited for it” said University of Gloucestershire rugby captain Toby Atkinson.
Cardiff Met scored in the last minute to win the game 30-26, despite Gloucestershire having a nine point lead with 10 minutes to go.
Although heartbreaking for the club, it was a significantly different result than every other game the team has been involved in this season, with the best previous result being a 60-5 defeat at home to Swansea.
Gloucestershire picked up two bonus points, for scoring four tries and for losing within seven – which are the first points on the board for the side.
Reflecting on his teams performance during his final game at Plock Court, Atkinson said: “as much as it hurts losing in the 79th minute like we did after all that effort that we put in, there are things to take away from that.
“There is the pride in which we played and there is the brotherhood that we have all worked with.
“The fight and the sheer intent that everyone wants to play with is massive going forward and something that is going to hold us in really good stead next term.”
Scrum half Kian Healy scored for the hosts in the 69th minute after Aodha Hession intercepted a pass inside Met’s 22.
Healy’s try made the score 26-18 and it seemed that Gloucestershire were bound to go on to win the game.
Atkinson said: “We actually had that sense of euphoria when Cian scored, we were thinking we’re good, we’re up, we should be able to hold up now.
“Sadly, it didn’t turn out that way.
“But that’s how rugby goes, it can turn in ten minutes and that’s why it matters so much that you perform for the full 80.”
Looking forward, Gloucestershire won’t play now until the new year as they face Swansea away on the 17th January, after that they travel to Cardiff to take on the same Met team that defeated them this week.
Atkinson said: “I am so excited for it, that will be our indication of how far we have come when we score the last try in the last minute of that game to win it against them and then we can run on and cheer as they’ve done today.”
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