Brian O'Driscoll: Investec Champions Cup is incentive for Gloucester ahead of Challenge Cup final with Sharks
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Published 24/05/2024 at 08:53 GMT
Brian O'Driscoll looked ahead to the EPCR Challenge Cup final between Gloucester and Hollywoodbets Sharks at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday, and says the prize of playing in the Investec Champions Cup will be a huge incentive to end the campaign on a high after a hugely disappointing domestic season. It would also complete a cup double after they already claimed the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Adam Hastings celebrates scoring a try for Gloucester against Benetton
Image credit: Getty Images
Brian O’Driscoll believes that the prize of securing Investec Champions Cup rugby will be an added incentive for Gloucester when they take on Hollywoodbets Sharks in the EPCR Challenge Cup Final.
Gloucester endured a dismal domestic campaign after only being able to muster a ninth-place finish in the English Premiership, but could end the season with two trophies with a win over the Sharks on Friday after already lifting the Premiership Rugby Cup.
“It’s a trophy; they’ve won two times and it would be a second trophy after winning the Premiership Cup," he told TNT Sports.
“That has an important impact, but most importantly, it gives them Champions Cup rugby next season; I think that’s the carrot at the end.
“After a disappointing finishing second from bottom in the Premiership, and to find yourself winning the Challenge Cup and being in the Champions Cup, is where you want to be.
“You want to be compete with the best teams in Europe to understand where you’re at. Even in those games when you’re losing against the best teams, that’s where you learn the most and that’s where the biggest growth comes from.
“That’s why you want to find yourself in the Champions Cup compared to the Challenge Cup next season.”
O’Driscoll is puzzled by the Cherry and Whites’ contrasting form in the cup competitions as opposed to the league, but speculates that injuries and a lack of consistency in team selection has played a part.
When quizzed on the cause for differences in their league and cup form, he added: “I don't know specifically. George Skivington will tell you over the course of the season that injuries will have, you know, impacted them in a big way of getting continuity of combinations.
“Be it centres or back rows, the guys have come and gone over the course of the whole season.
“And they've lost a lot of games relatively closely. Even with the ones that kind of blew out a little bit at the end, they were in games for large periods, but then just kind of fell away.
“So sometimes you've got to feel the pain and the suffering of that to understand and use it as motivation the following year.
“It just feels as though it's been a season where not many guys have really stood up and really delivered. I think any coach needs that; you need your best players to deliver their best stuff and inspire bigger performances from everyone else around them.
“It's a season that they'll probably look back on and think ‘gosh you know if we did win two cup competitions on the face of it, it looks like a great year, but actually it’s been pretty disappointing from a Premiership aspect.’”
The former British & Irish Lions captain assessed the threat by a Sharks side who have also had their struggles in the United Rugby Championship, but believes a team packed with South Africa internationals has that winning mentality when it counts.
“The Sharks have been so hit and miss this year,” he explained.
“Some of their performances in the URC have been terrible by their standards. They've got some real quality throughout the side, but what you also have to be nervous around is a team with plenty of Springboks who know how to win finals, who know how to get it done.
“I suppose that power game is always going to be a nervousness against any South African team and the quality that they can bring. But also, they've got some good exciting outside backs as well. So it should be a good game.
“There is also the chance for a South African team to win silverware in Europe for the first time.”
How to watch the EPCR Challenge Cup final
The EPCR Challenge Cup final takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 20:00 UK time, with live coverage beginning at 19:00.
The match will be streamed live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+.
TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
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