Three second half tries powered Gloucester to a convincing victory that keeps their hopes of a top four finish alive.

When they combined a solid structure with their youthful promise, Gloucester looked capable of taking Leeds to the cleaners and three tries in 15 second half minutes indicated their potency when they retained the ball and played with shape.

The first-half was a crazy, half-baked affair that Gloucester failed to control well enough. Neither side retained possession with anything like the regularity or control required and although Mike Tindall scored the games first try with a neat step and break, Leeds were still in the contest at the break with a try of their own.

But through the cloud of uncertainty, Gloucester had enough about them to keep ahead. Scrum-half Peter Richards is playing some rich, skilful and determined rugby just now and he was involved in everything good Gloucester attempted.

If he was not breaking himself, he was linking play, covering kicks and generally making life very uncomfortable for the hosts at the contact area.

Andy Hazell was also relentless in his efforts, tackled with the force of a run-away train and never stopped in his hunt for the ball. Gloucester took the lead with a Ryan Lamb penalty after 16 minutes and then scored their first try after 22.

Tindall ran back possession following a Leeds clearance and linked with Mark Foster down the left. The winger sent an inside pass to Luke Narraway who continued the move before Patrice Collazo and Mefin Davies drove forward and when play came back to the left, Lamb's long pass picked out Tindall again and he stepped inside the Leeds cover to score.

Gloucester created a host of chances but couldn't put them away and paid the price two minutes before the break. Gordon Ross gained possession 50 metres out and kicked brilliantly with the outside of his right foot over Olly Morgan and Tom Biggs controlled the ball to score and reduce the gap to 10-7.

Leeds were capable and physical but not a great deal more - although the big men in the centre was something new for Anthony Allen to cope with. But it took Gloucester only five second half minutes to score their second try and it its heart lay contributions from Lamb, Simpson-Daniel and Richards.

Lamb started it off with a neat show and break close to the advantage line, Simpson-Daniel threatened to score himself and when possession came back, Richards fed a lovely little pass into Hazell who plunged over from close distance.

Leeds were never to recover from the body blow. Ten minutes later, Gloucester drove a powerful line-out infield, Richards and Lamb again carved up good ground in the middle and Richards, always on hand to support, finished the move by scoring himself close to the line.

The try sealed the game as a contest but Gloucester were only to score once more. The move started deep inside their own half when replacement Adam Balding found James Bailey, who somehow slalomed away from the cover and up the touchline.

Gloucester moved the ball quickly to the left and Lamb's little roller in behind the Leeds defence was picked up by Simpson-Daniel who scored.

Lamb once again converted to take Gloucester 31-7 ahead and although they lost Alex Brown to the sinbin before the end, were never unduly troubled.

It means they face Wasps next weekend at Kingsholm to decide the final place in the end of season play-offs - it should be some occasion.