GLOUCESTER WILL HEAD to Thomond Park next weekend on top of Heineken Champions Cup Pool 2 after they ground out a 19-14 win at home to Castres.

Following defeats for Wasps, Bath and Leicester on opening weekend — as well as Exeter’s draw against Munster — Gloucester got the Premiership clubs off the mark with a win at the fifth time of asking.

Callum Braley’s first-half try separated the sides as Gloucester took a 13-6 lead into the break at Kingsholm.

Danny Cipriani added two penalties to push the hosts’ lead out to 19-6 and set them on course for victory.

Martin Laveau’s try, and a Julien Dumora penalty, gave Castres hope as the game entered the final 10 minutes but Gloucester’s defence withstood the late pressure to clinch the four points.

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