Gloucester have form on their side
Worcester yet to beat their neighbours as semi-final looms
Gloucester captain Adam Balding is anxious to avoid an unwanted first when the Cherry-and-whites clash with Worcester Warriors in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingsholm on Saturday.
Gloucester won the dress rehearsal at 27-16 at Kingsholm last week, but only courtesy of two late tries by wing Mark Foster.
The eleven-point margin belied the closeness of the game, but Balding was relieved that Gloucester have kept the psychological advantage of being unbeaten against the Warriors.
"It’s going to be a big tie against Worcester at the weekend and it is reassuring that we have not lost to them since they came up into the Premiership," said Balding following Gloucester’s 27-16 Kingsholm victory over the weekend.
"Playing them back-to-back did put added emphasis on our league game as by winning that we go into the semi-finals feeling more confident.
"It’s a local derby and they're always an event. The crowd make a really special atmosphere and Worcester have improved a lot since last season so I’m sure they'll be fired up for the game.
Gloucester have a better than average chance of getting into next year's tournament even if they do not win the Challenge Cup, but that is no source for relaxation in this match, according to Balding.
"Not only is there the fact that if we relaxed and relied on the league results to qualify Sod’s Law would mean something would go wrong, but it’s also important in terms of shaping our season next year," he said.
"Silverware is always very important to a club and we'll certainly be looking to win everything we can. We want to finish the season on a high.
It has been a frustrating season for Balding, who has missed much of the season with injuries, most notably a fractured cheekbone sustained early in the season.
"From a personal point of view, I’m hoping to be fit for the game. I played 50 minutes last Monday with the reserves to show I’m back in terms of fitness and I am hoping to play a part in the semi whether it’s starting or on the bench.
"We’ve had some front row problems this season but we've come through that and we've got a pretty strong squad available for the match.
"This season has been frustrating for me as I have missed 17 weeks through injury and it’s hard to get consistency when your season just doesn't seem to get going.
"I’m hoping to be able to contribute to the game on the pitch, but if I’m watching from the bench I’ll still want to be a part of things. I’ve been really tested this year but I hope it'll make me a better player in the long run.
"I don't think we really lose anything from playing another English team. We’ve had some good trips to Toulon and Bayonne this season and, although for the pundits it may be better to have as many countries as possible represented in the final stages, at the end of the day we're here to play rugby and we'll line up against whichever opposition we face.
"It’s good for English rugby to see us dominating the tournament and the results have given us a local derby – which is as exciting for us as a foreign game would be."
