By BrianC
November 12 2003

The sixth round of the Powergen Cup sees the Zurich Premiership teams entering the fray. In our case this means a tough trip away to the team who are at present third favourites to win the league and the current cup holders, Gloucester.

Gloucester vs London Irish

Saturday 18th November, Kingsholm. K.O. 1.55 pm.

Any trip to Gloucester is a daunting prospect, this will be no exception. The Shed, perhaps the most vociferous home crowd in the league, will be in full voice attempting to ensure their teams defence of the cup starts well. London Irish have not won at Kingsholm in the professional era.  Indeed last weeks victory there by Bath marked the first home league defeat for Gloucester in over two years. On the more positive side the last meeting between our two clubs was at the Madejski in September where we won 16 - 10 against most peoples, including this authors, predictions.

In the last five years London Irish have performed remarkably well in the Powergen Cup, three times being knocked out at the semi-final stage. In 2002, on that most magnificent of all London Irish days, we won the competition. This was our senior clubs first piece of silverware in over 100 years existence. Whilst we did make the semi-final last season, a significant contributory factor was a somewhat fortuitous draw which saw us facing the only ND1 team left in the quarter finals.

Gloucester are a hard, physical team. In previous seasons their pack has dominated most of the games they have played. This season it has been weakened by the loss of Woodman and Vickery to the RWC. In their September game against us Dermot, talking about LI, stated, 'The pack were superb today – driving mauls to the fore and very disruptive in the scrumage.' If we can again disrupt them, as we did at the Madejski, then we are in with a chance. 

This is our first appearance in front of the BBC cameras since our crucifixion by Northampton in last years semi-final. They will no doubt go into this game as favourites, just the way we like things to be. The way we are playing this season we can beat anyone, anywhere, in front of any audience.

Believe - I do!