Gaffney: Play-off hopes are over

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Just six days after memorably grounding Heineken Cup quarter-final opponents the Ospreys, Saracens capitulated at Kingsholm, as Gloucester stretched their lead at the top of the table to six points.

Gaffney said: "The play-offs are out of reach now. But there is still Heineken Cup qualification for next season, so we have got to be striving now for a top-six finish."

Saracens could also qualify by winning the Heineken Cup this term, although semi-final opponents Munster have little to fear on the evidence of Saturday's performance.

Gloucester scored six tries, including two in three minutes from fly-half Ryan Lamb, and it could have been more, especially during a hopelessly one-sided second period.

Gaffney added: "The performances last weekend and this weekend were like chalk and cheese. We went out with a game plan, but we didn't adhere to it and were just not good at what we did."

Gloucester though, march on. With bottom club Leeds visiting Kingsholm next Saturday, another bonus point win would edge them towards a home game in next month's title play-offs.

The Cherry and Whites finished with six tries - centre James Simpson-Daniel, flanker Akapusi Qera, wing Lesley Vainikolo and scrum-half Rory Lawson also touched down - and head coach Dean Ryan was delighted by his team's response a week after crashing out of the Heineken Cup.

Ryan said: "I am very happy with that performance. We have been top of the Premiership for most of the season, and we deserve credit for that.

"We control the remainder of the season ourselves. Two of our last three games are at home, and we can control our play-off position. That is all you can ask for."