Gloucester are seeking a second European Challenge Cup title in four years, as they face Cardiff Blues in tonight’s European Challenge Cup Final in Bilbao.
The side are playing in their third final in since 2015, and could equal Harlequins’ record of three Challenge Cup titles. Gloucester have previously won in 2006 and 2015.
The Cherry and Whites secured their place in this year’s final after a great performance in the semi-final, beating Newcastle Falcons 33-12. However since then, they have suffered consecutive heavy defeats in the Premiership.
Gloucester beat Cardiff 46-26 in the quarter-finals of the competition last year, so the Blues will be keen to prove a point in Spain tonight.
Head coach Johan Ackermann expects an entertaining finale to the competition.
“Cardiff are deservedly in the final. They’re a team with a lot of threats – a very good loose trio and a very good back line.“They’re a side who will fight for everything and I think it will be a great final between two sides that play a decent brand of rugby.”
The challenge for Gloucester is if they can deal with the pressure, as they attempt to avoid back to Challenge Cup final defeats after last year’s loss to Stade Francais.
Their opponents are the only Welsh side to have won a European title, beating RC Toulon 28-21 in the 2010 Challenge Cup final.
On that day they had their captain, Gethin Jenkins, in the starting line-up, but the veteran Welshman will miss tonight’s final through injury. Ellis Jenkins has been named captain in Jenkins’ absence.
Both teams tweeted out their starting 15, and Gloucester’s closely resembles the side that lost to Bath as Ackermann’s son Ruan replace Ben Morgan at number eight.
Blues head coach Danny Wilson has made 10 changes to the starting line-up that faced the Ospreys two weeks ago.
It is expected to be another close encounter, considering the last three Challenge Cup finals have all been decided by a single figure margin, a sequence that started with Gloucester’s 19-13 win over Edinburgh in 2015.
VENUE: San Mames Stadium, Bilbao
KICK OFF: Friday 11th May, 20:00 BST
WHERE TO WATCH: BT Sport 2 from 19:15 BST, Sky Sports Action from 19:30 BST.
