By Billy Hamilton
November 6 2002

Brown may be this years Black but I do not know enough about fashion to comment. One thing I do know is that this seasons Leicester is dressed in Cherry and White and we play them this Sunday.

London Irish vs Gloucester
Sun 10 Nov at Madejski Stadium - KO 14:30 (Live on Skytv)

This season Gloucester has been impressive losing only one game narrowly to Wasps and drawing one game. They now lead the Premiership with a 3-point lead over Leeds. This weekend we play them when they are without a number of players on duty for England. We have been warned, however, not to treat them as a weak team.

 We ended a four match Premiership losing run with victory at Newcastle last Sunday - our first away success since March (although I believe we did win one game somewhere in West London on 20^th April). At the Madejski Stadium we have fared little better of late with only one victory - 32-10 over Saracens - our only win from the last seven home Premiership and Championship games.
 
 Although Gloucester have scored a league point in each of their last eleven Premiership matches they have beaten us on our home ground just once in their last five attempts in league and cup - the only time they played us at the Stoop in May 2000.

So although Gloucester will be formidable opponents but this is a game we need to win to keep up the momentum, which started with our performance at Toulouse.

Please note if some London Irish supporters are a little less than friendly early in the game it may be that they are nursing hangovers from the Dinner and Dance. "Would you be after keepin’ that drumming a bit softer and for Jaysus sake shut up that bl**dy siren!!"

ENJOY SATURDAY NIGHT AND HERE’S HOPING FOR A GOOD VICTORY ON SUNDAY.

Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership
 

Played                              16
 London Irish Won                    5                       31.3%
 Gloucester Won                      11                      68.8%
 Drawn                               0                       0%
 Biggest Win for London Irish        35 - 10                 16 Apr 2001
 Biggest Win for Gloucester          40 - 15                 26 Dec 1999
 
 London Irish top try scorer vs  Gloucester                         Niall Woods           4 tries
 
 London Irish top points scorer vs  Gloucester                   Niall Woods            49 points
 
 Gloucester top try scorer vs London  Irish                         Penalty Try             3 tries
 
 Gloucester top points scorer vs  London Irish                   Mark Mapletoft       82 points

  Previous Meetings
 

Date                   Teams             Result  Venue            
 09 Feb 2002 London Irish vs Gloucester   22 - 29 Kingsholm        
 21 Oct 2001 London Irish vs Gloucester   19 - 15 Madejski Stadium 
 16 Apr 2001 London Irish vs Gloucester   35 - 10 Madejski Stadium 
 25 Nov 2000 London Irish vs Gloucester   6 - 26  Kingsholm        
 20 May 2000 London Irish vs Gloucester   40 - 42 The Stoop        
 26 Dec 1999 London Irish vs Gloucester   15 - 40 Kingsholm        
 07 Feb 1999 London Irish vs Gloucester   42 - 20 The Avenue       
 05 Sep 1998 London Irish vs Gloucester   22 - 29 Kingsholm        
 24 Mar 1998 London Irish vs Gloucester   23 - 19 The Avenue       
 19 Oct 1997 London Irish vs Gloucester   7 - 29  Kingsholm