GLOUCESTER great James Simpson-Daniel hopes Danny Cipriani and Co can banish the demons that still haunt him after the Cherry and Whites’ infamous Munster monstering.
The King of Kingsholm is still traumatised by their 2003 European defeat when they were crushed by the Red Army in Limerick.
All Gloucester needed to do that day was stop their Irish rivals scoring four tries and winning by a margin of 27 points.
But like a Hollywood thriller, Munster did exactly that, beating all the odds to win 33-6 and dump out the English.
So a home win tonight for the Premiership side would go some way to avenge the horrors of 15 years ago.
Ex-England winger Sinbad said: “That game still gives me the shivers.
“Munster needed to win by a certain amount of points and tries… and they did exactly that.
“It’s not a game I like to remember because we were so poor.
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“After getting pumped by them and getting on the bus, you think the supporters might take the p*** out of you, but they were so respectful and applauded us.
“Their fans are really good rugby supporters and it will be a great atmosphere tonight.
“I’ve been involved when we have turned them over at Kingsholm, but then lost away in that very famous fashion.
“Looking at the table now, it is still there to be had for Gloucester. It’s not over yet.
“It wasn’t long ago we were talking about Gloucester topping the group after going down to Exeter and beating the Chiefs at home.
“It is still wide open, so you have to be as strong as you can.
“It’s such a shame they couldn’t win that Exeter game at home, because if they did that they would be in the driving seat for getting a home quarter-final in Europe.
“Johan Ackermann realises what this Gloucester Munster fixture means to the supporters and even if we were out of the group, I would have expected it to be a full-strength side as we have history there.”
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To kick things off
@gloucesterrugby welcome
@Munsterrugby down to Kingsholm to duke it out in the tightest pool
Will Munster be afforded the same space out wide?
pic.twitter.com/UTU79UiFt5
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 10, 2019
Boss Ackermann has brought a fit-again Cipriani back into his starting line-up to pull the strings at fly-half.
After recovering from a torn pectoral muscle the Red Rose No10 has been wrapped up in cotton wool all week.
But even if he does steer his side to a last weekend showdown at French champs Castres, Cipriani’s fight for a place in Eddie Jones’ Six Nations squad looks over after he was snubbed for the autumn Tests.
Though the 31-year-old is already in talks about extending his stay in the West Country, even though he could earn more cash in France.
Ackermann added: “I think Danny is open-minded, he’s not gonna put his heart and house on England selection.
“He knows where he stands with Eddie and what he needs to do. He’s even got a contract next year.
“So if he wanted to have a full go at the World Cup, he could stayed for the 2019-20 season and then leave and go wherever he wants to go.
“The fact he wants to extend beyond that shows that he puts the club’s ambitions before that and do well for the club regardless of what the outcome will be for England.”
Cipriani helped fire Gloucester up the table early in the season with them cementing third spot before a mid-season blip and a Harlequins resurgence saw them slip to fourth.
And Simpson-Daniel, who played 274 times for the club and scored 120 tries, reckons sleeping giants Gloucester still have a way to go to fulfil their full potential in Europe and England.
The 36-year-old said: “It was a great way to start the season and we were sitting in third and people we’re talking about winning the league.
“But this Gloucester side isn’t complete by any stretch still.
“Exeter and Sarries will do their thing at the top – Sale were at the bottom and look what they are doing now. It’s great to see improvement from Gloucester, but let’s not get carried away.
“That distance between Sarries or Exeter. . . when they are losing, they know how to win and win ugly. That’s the difference, so Gloucester aren’t quite there just yet.
“I don’t think there is an expectation of a trophy this year. All you want to see as a supporter is improvement.
“Gloucester had that cluster of four or five seasons sitting outside the pack and you just want to see things go in the right direction.
“But I do think this is the best squad I have seen Gloucester have for a long time.
“Last season when Johan Ackermann took over, he had just inherited those players and was working with what he had.
“He did a pretty good effort with it and this is the first year we have seen his own signings.
“He’s signed a few South Africans and I can see why, because if he signs an England player, or Welsh, they’re only able to play a few games each season.
“He’s bolstered up the pack and it reminds me a lot of when I broke through at Gloucester in 2000.
“We were known for having a massive pack and the backs weren’t really mentioned. The strength in depth is very good now.”
Now Gloucester are out to make their own history, whilst trying to burry some of the past.
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News Pictures Gloucester and Danny Cipriani need to slay ghost of 2003 Munster monstering – urges James Simpson-Daniel
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