Stade coach Quesada wary of Gloucester threat

Gonzalo Quesada says Gloucester could be the toughest opponents of the season when Stade Francais attempt to end their European trophy drought in the Challenge Cup final on Friday.

Stade missed out on a Top 14 play-off place in a turbulent season, during which plans for a merger with local rivals Racing 92 were announced and then quickly scrapped.

The Paris club have lost in all four of their previous European final appearances, but are favourites to put that unwanted record right when they take on Gloucester at Murrayfield.

Stade coach Quesada is braced for a tough challenge from the Premiership side, who reached the decider by winning away from home against a La Rochelle team which finished with a seven-point advantage at the summit of the Top 14 table.

Another look a ‘that’ semi-final moment from @Jules_plisson. Nerves of steel for @SFParisRugby! #ERChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/fPDhBmJnxH

— Challenge Cup (@ERChallengeCup) May 10, 2017

He said: “This year there have been a lot of ups and downs but when you see the quality of our squad, we can beat Gloucester. It would be great for this group of players [after] everything they have been through lately.

“It will be perhaps the hardest opponent of the season. In comparison to their style of play, it is a team that will be even more difficult than Bath.

“They [Gloucester] lost only once in 10 games against French teams. I feel that they have been targeting this final for a while, so we will have to beat them in the management of the match.”

Gloucester have won both of the Challenge Cup finals they have played and will be looking to regain the title they won two years ago, as well as book a final play-off spot for next season’s Champions Cup.

It’s Final time, and here are your Cherry and Whites to play Stade Francais #ERChallengeCupFinal pic.twitter.com/7VbKFN7nEF

— Gloucester Rugby (@gloucesterrugby) May 11, 2017

Gloucester’s director of rugby David Humphreys said: “With a cup final, there’s not a huge amount of motivation required, everybody knows how important this game is for the club.

“Everybody knows that, while we’ve got to win this weekend, we’ve also the opportunity still to get Gloucester back into the Champions Cup.

“First and foremost, though, it’s been about getting ready to face the challenge that Stade Francais will bring and the quality of player that they have.”

Semi-final hero Billy Burns returns from injury to start for Gloucester, but Greig Laidlaw was named among the replacements after being called up to the British and Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand.