RUGBY UNION: ZURICH PREMIERSHIP: Cherries champs after Boer rampage

LIKE a bull elephant rampaging through a chicken run, so Gloucester skipper Jake Boer swept visiting Harlequins defenders aside to score the best try in his side's league-clinching win.

Moments after the final whistle Champagne was sprayed over the fans as the Gloucester players toasted finishing top of the Zurich Premiership.

They are now also guaranteed a spot at the Premiership grand final at Twickenham on May 24.

The score of the game came 13 minutes before half-time when flanker Boer barged over for the second of his side's four tries after crisp hands from almost every Gloucester player to help put the West Country club out of reach at the top.

The movement finished with a bruising run from No.8 Junior Paramore who off-loaded to centre Henry Paul whose deft touch gave Boer space to crash, at pace past five defenders and touchdown 13 minutes before the break.

The Gloucester captain responded well after a difficult week not knowing if he would be able to play after he picked up his third yellow card in last week's 30-30 draw at Sale.

Cleared to start, Boer will miss his side's clash with Leeds next week, but perhaps his mind would be eased, having led his men to glory.

Speaking after the game the big South African said: "The fans have been unbelievable this year.

"They screamed us through against Newcastle two weeks ago, at Twickenham the week before that, at Sale last week, and again today. "We put in a huge team performance today and it nearly caps off seven months of hard work - nearly, as we still have to win at Twickenham to make it count."

The win was vital after a week of boardroom confusion, which revealed that entrepreneur Tom Walkinshaw was in fact not the owner of Gloucester Rugby Club, but it was rather in the hands of two Hertfordshire accountants, news which only added to the clubs already uncertain financial predicament.

This combined with rumours regarding top players like Ludovic Mercier and Olivier Azam moving back to France threatened to upstage Gloucester's on-pitch heroics and all this ironically after their most successful season in years.

Nigel Melville's men made light work of a spirited Quins offensive.

Having been beaten by Gloucester 25-19 at the Stoop last August, the odds were stacked against Quins - now lying seventh - who took to the turf in front of a typically partisan Kingsholm crowd.

England winger James Simpson-Daniel brought Kingsholm to its feet eight minutes after the break pouncing on a poor pass by Quins centre Will Greenwood, sprinting 40 metres to dive in.

Having converted Ludovic Mercier ran in 10 minutes after the break with a cheeky chip and chase for Gloucester's fourth try that secured the bonus point, and guarantees the Powergen champs a spot in the Premiership's grand final at Twickenham on May 24.

Henry Paul opened Gloucester's account 19 minutes with Ludovic Mercier converting and moments later skipper Jake Boer scored his side's second try.

With 27 minutes gone Mercier slotted his second conversion.

Quins kicker Paul Burke hit two first-half penalties on 30 and 34 leaving the half-time score 14-6 to a dominant Gloucester.

A try from Quins Samoan hooker Tani Fuga 13 minutes time was not converted by Burke, and was followed by a Paul penalty to complete the score in the closing minutes.

GLOUCESTER Tries: Paul, Boer, Simpson-Daniel, Mercier. Cons: Mercier 3. Pens: Paul.

HARLEQUINS Tries: Fuga Pens: Burke 2

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