European Champions Cup: Castres 24-22 Gloucester

Gloucester came within moments of a Champions Cup victory away to French champions Castres, only to be denied by Maama Vaipulu's last-minute try.

With both teams already eliminated, Gloucester scored early tries through Henry Trinder and Ben Vellacott.

But they were pegged back by a pair of Florian Vialelle scores for Castres either side of the interval.

Owen Williams restored Gloucester's lead, but they could not hold on as Vaipulu ploughed over on the last play.

The French side, eighth in their domestic top flight this season, allowed flanker Yannick Caballero a comically unsuccessful conversion attempt to mark the end of the match.

It was a fittingly low-key end to a match with nothing riding on it, which featured a much-changed Gloucester line-up.

Danny Cipriani, Ben Morgan and Billy Twelvetrees were among those rested by the Cherry and Whites, who are fourth in the Premiership and chasing a first play-off appearance since 2011.

Gloucester won two of their first three matches in Pool Two, but a 29-17 home defeat by Exeter, six days after beating the Chiefs in the reverse fixture at Sandy Park, was the start of the end of their hopes of making the last eight.

Castres: Spedding; Laveau, Vialelle, Caminati, Batlle; Le Bourhis, Kockott; Falatea, Rallier, M. Clerc, Samson, Lassalle, Caballero (c), Gerondeau, Vaipulu.

Replacements: Ebersohn for Caminati (49), Radosavljevic for Le Bourhis (73), Tichit for Falatea (51), Firmin for Rallier (51), Hounkpatin for Clerc (51), Mafi for Lassale (49), Gimeno for Gerondeau (69). Not Used: Domenech.

Gloucester: Hudson; Banahan, Trinder, Williams, Thorley; Evans, Vellacott; Seville, Walker, Knight; Savage, Grobler; Evans, Ludlow (c), Clarke.

Replacements: Sharples for Banahan (74), Seabrook for L. Evans (75), Chapman for Vellacott (63), McAllister for Seville (63), Gleave for Walker (63), Hohneck for Knight (63), Slater for Savage (73), Craig for G. Evans (73).

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