Gloucester v Sharks predictions and European Challenge Cup tips: Power game should tell for Sharks

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Gloucester v Sharks predictions

Some 6,000 miles separate the home grounds of Gloucester and the Sharks, and there may be a gulf on the pitch when the teams meet for the first time in the final of the European Challenge Cup.

Gloucester have lifted this trophy twice and made two other finals of the competition while South African outfit the Sharks are in their first European final.

But while the background and history of the two clubs are greatly at odds they have something in common this season as both have underperformed in their leagues and saved their best for cup competitions.

Gloucester finished second-bottom of the Premiership with just five wins and were beaten 90-0 by Northampton just two weeks ago. But they are unbeaten in Europe and lifted the Premiership Rugby Cup with a victory over Leicester in March.

The Sharks similarly are languishing in the United Rugby Championship with four victories from 17 games, but they qualified for the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup as top seeds and cruised to the final with three home wins.

They have played just one game away from South African soil in the tournament, comfortably beating the Dragons in Newport, but concerns over their road performances can perhaps be eased by the number of frontline international players they possess.

Even without injured centre Lukhanyo Am and scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse, there are still six players from the Springboks' World Cup-winning squad. The Sharks boast an all-international front row, and four of the tight five - Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch and Eben Etzebeth - have more than 250 caps between them. In a big final, that class and experience count for a lot.

Gloucester have been boosted by the return of Argentina full-back Santi Carreras but it's the sheer power that the Sharks look to have up front that should prove key in this game. The South African outfit should dominate the forward exchanges and set the platform for a comfortable win.

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