Redpath braced for Dragons threat
The Dragons head to Kingsholm knowing they can heap further misery on the misfiring Guinness Premiership heavyweights.
While Gloucester welcome back captain Gareth Delve from suspension, they have lost two more players to bans, hooker Olivier Azam and his fellow forward Adam Eustace.
On top of that, injuries sideline key backs Mike Tindall, Olly Morgan and Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, suggesting an in-form Dragons side has every chance to claim only a third win from their last 13 Heineken Cup away games.
“We need to go into this game buzzing,” said head coach Redpath. “Kingsholm, Heineken Cup, there are no more drivers needed.
“It’s a Wales-England game and a derby kind of match, as they are only an hour down the road. If anyone needs motivating for this game, then they shouldn’t be playing rugby.
“We have to be confident and we have to be positive. We will be up against a team who will have no fear.”
“Paul Turner (Dragons coach) will encourage his team to come here and give it a go.
“We’ve watched the Dragons and we respect them. They are actually playing a lot better than in previous seasons, so we are under no illusions that it will be tough.”
James Simpson-Daniel and European debutant Tim Molenaar forge Gloucester’s midfield pairing, while former England wing Tom Voyce continues at full-back.
The Dragons, whose Magners League record shows victories over Ulster, Glasgow and Connacht this term, are captained by lock Luke Charteris in the absence of injured hooker Tom Willis.
Turner said: “We have got to be bold and believe we can go there and win. Europe is a different matter altogether, it’s another step up.
“We have got to appreciate that it is going to be a cauldron there.”
GLOUCESTER: T Voyce, C Sharples, J Simpson-Daniel, T Molenaar, L Vainikolo, N Robinson, S Lawson; A Dickinson, G Somerville, D Attwood, A Brown, A Strokosch, A Qera, G Delve (capt).
Replacements: D Dawiduik, P Doran-Jones, P Capdevielle, P Buxton, A Hazell, D Lewis, F Burns, J May.
DRAGONS: J Tovey, A Brew, T Riley, A Smith, R Fussell, J Arlidge, W Evans; A McKenzie, S Jones, N Hall, R Sidoli, L Charteris, D Lydiate, G Thomas, J Bearman.
Replacements: D Goodfield, H Gustafson, P Bracken, L Evans, H MacDonald, D Lee, S Connor, M Thomas.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
