Extra Gloucester effort to take sting out of Wasps
The fierce Zurich Premiership rivals clash at Wycombe’s Causeway Stadium tomorrow.
It is the biggest game between two English clubs since Leicester ended Gloucester’s Heineken Cup hopes in a semi-final thriller three years ago.
Gloucester have got it all to do against a team strongly-fancied for European glory this season, despite the presence of such tournament giants as Toulouse, Munster and Stade Francais.
Wasps confirmed their place in the last-eight with a stunning 34-6 away victory over last season’s beaten finalists Perpignan. The reigning Zurich Premiership champions have also won 10 successive league games, and suffered only one defeat in that competition since early October.
In addition, there is the not-so-small matter of last year’s controversial Premiership finale.
Gloucester, despite topping the table by 15 points following the 22-game regular season, were not crowned champions. A contentious new play-off system heralded Twickenham’s first ‘grand final’ title shoot-out, and Gloucester blew it spectacularly, beaten 39-3 by Wasps.
There is a history of fierce rivalry between the clubs, which adds even more spice to Sunday’s showdown.
And Simpson-Daniel, the top try-scorer in this season’s Heineken Cup with six touchdowns, can still recall memories of that Twickenham shocker.
“I don’t want to talk this game up as being a different level from the Premiership,” said the six times-capped England wing. “We are looking at every game as a knockout game.
“But it does feel different, because it’s Wasps and they beat us on the final day of last season. We can have that rivalry in the back of our heads, but we cannot take it out on to the pitch because we have to go out and play the way we normally do.
“I have had some pretty bad days in my career, but that game against Wasps was almost blurred.
“Wasps thumped us, and it was such a strange day. On the day, we played as though we deserved to be bottom of the league.
“For me, if we win at the weekend, then it will certainly be one of the biggest victories we’ve had, particularly if you consider the history of Gloucester versus Wasps and what has happened between us,” he added.
“Not including the Saracens match last weekend, I’ve had half-an-hour’s game time in the past seven weeks,” said the 21-year-old.
“I didn’t touch a huge amount of the ball against Saracens, but I can’t think of it like that. Our aim was to win, and we did that. The fact that I didn’t get much ball is irrelevant to the result.
“On Sunday, we know that we are not going to get double-figure chances against sides in European rugby, and for us to go through, we have to take our chances.
“Our decisions have to be effective, and we need to make the most of our opportunities with the ball,” he added.
We can analyse Wasps all we want, but on the day we will need something a little bit extra to go through.”
: M Van Gisbergen; J Lewsey, F Waters, S Abbott, T Voyce; A King, R Howley; C Dowd, T Leota, W Green, S Shaw, R Birkett, J Worsley, P Volley, L Dallaglio (capt).
Replacements: T Payne, M Lock, B Gotting, M Purdy, H Biljon, M Denney, A Erinle.
: J Goodridge; M Garvey, T Fanolua, H Paul, J Simpson-Daniel; D McRae, A Gomarsall; T Woodman, C. Fortey, P Vickery, A Eustace, A Brown, J Boer (capt), A Hazell, J Paramore.
Replacements: D Du Preez, R Roncero, A Deacon, M Cornwell, P Buxton, S Amor, R Todd.
: Joel Jutge (France).
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