In a contest that stretched the boundaries of each player both physically and mentally to the absolute limit, Forrester's chip, chase and touch down in the second period of extra time sealed a contest so finely balanced it went to the wire and then some.

His score was even more remarkable, coming as it did following a brilliant step and break from Anthony Allen and feed by Peter Richards, because the number eight still had enough about him in all the mayhem to show great pace in the 115th minute of a clattering final to take the one real opportunity that came Gloucester's way in the final 20 minutes.

Forrester had been involved throughout - his body slammed from pillar to post in a totally absorbing final between two of the most adventurous teams currently strutting their stuff in the English league.

There will be some mighty headaches in the city tomorrow, not least because Gloucester have a trophy again but because of the sheer vitality, commitment, togetherness and nail-biting tension the final produced. It was a heart-stopper all the way.

The lead swapped hands throughout and when London Irish - stoked to the brim up front - scored late on through Olivier Magne and Robbie Russell, Gloucester had to start all over again after losing a 12 point lead with 11 minutes to go.

But this side, forged by the talismanic qualities of skipper Peter Buxton, the relentless, bone-crushing excellent of Andy Hazell and the giant presence of Alex Brown, raised themselves to land the trophy.

There were outstanding contributions from Peter Richards, James Simpson-Daniel, Allen and Mike Tindall as Gloucester out-scored the Irish four tries to three.

With both teams already in the Heineken Cup next season, this one-off match thudded into life immediately and Barry Everitt gave Irish a 6-0 lead with two penalties after seven minutes.

However, Gloucester bounced off the ropes and hit back with their first try. They maintained possession after Irish had been turned over, Mefin Davies drove into the heart of the Irish defence following a quick free kick by Richards, and when possession came to the short side, Tindall kicked for Mark Foster to out-strip Topsy Ojo for the score.

With the Irish attacking the set-piece, something they did throughout, Gloucester needed their wits about them but scored again after 29 minutes. Ryan Lamb, a man who the Irish hunted all afternoon, kicked a penalty to the corner, Brown held the catch and from a powerful drive, Hazell was bundled over to score and extend Gloucester's lead to 15-6.

The points kept coming. Gloucester's lead was eroded when Everitt launched a huge cross-field kick and under pressure, Rob Thirlby failed to control the ball and Delon Armitage scored.

Although Lamb nailed a penalty before the break, Gloucester's 18-13 lead looked a slender one and so it proved when the Irish snapped over a drop-goal immediately after the re-start.

With Juan Manuel Leguizamon and Bob Casey churning through a vast amount of work, Gloucester were always under serious pressure when the Irish kept it tight and drove through their forwards and although Ludovic Mercier and Everitt swapped penalties, London Irish were only five points behind with time ebbing away.

And then came the moment that should have won Gloucester match. Casey attempted a long pass in midfield but Simpson-Daniel prowled brilliantly, scooped up the bouncing ball and blasted his way to the line to stretch Gloucester's lead to 31-19.

But any thoughts the game was over evaporated almost as quickly as the champagne corks started popping. Magne was awarded a somewhat dubious looking try after 77 minutes following an avalanche of close range pressure and in the sixth minute of stoppage time, Russell was barrelled over from another shuddering line-out drive to tie the scores at 31-31.

Everitt's conversion would have won the game but he pulled his kick across the face of the sticks and Gloucester could breathe again.

Gloucester had become embroiled in a line-out war and the Irish dominated the first period of extra time to a massive extent. They hemmed Gloucester in deep inside their own half but only had an Everitt penalty to show for their dominance.

Three points down, Gloucester knew they needed to keep the ball alive and get possession deep inside the Irish half but when a tackled needed to be made, a Buxton, Davies, Collazo or Tindall got themselves in the road and for sheer guts alone, Gloucester were worthy winners

When the decisive try came, it arrived almost from nothing. Allen somehow had enough in the tank to break the first line of defence and when Richards came in and fed Forrester, his intsinct to chase down what he had served him brilliantly. With Foster for company, the number eight dived on his chip to send the Gloucester supporters into ecstacy.

There was still plenty to be done but marshalled by Buxton, Gloucester boxed clever in the closing stages to seal a fantastic victory and send everyone in Gloucester colours into dreamland.