Exiles aim to cap season with trophy

Challenge Cup : Brian Smith has overseen a remarkable transformation at London Irish this season but there is one thing still…

Challenge Cup: Brian Smith has overseen a remarkable transformation at London Irish this season but there is one thing still missing -  silverware.

And Smith is determined to rectify that at the Twickenham Stoop tomorrow when the Exiles lock horns with Gloucester in the European Challenge Cup final.

The Australian said: "We've turned things around from last year, where we had the lowest number of tries scored in the league to having the highest number of tries this season.

"Our set piece has always been good and we have turned things around in terms of our attacking play but now we have an opportunity to win some silverware and that's what we all play for - to win things.

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"At the start of the season we said we wanted to qualify for the Heineken Cup, which we've done, and become one of the top four teams in England, which we have also achieved. The third thing was to win something and on Sunday we have the opportunity to do that in the European Challenge Cup final and that would definitely be the icing on the cake."

It is indicative of the developments made at the club this season that Mike Catt, reinvigorated at 34, was this week recalled to the England squad for this summer's tour of Australia.

Six of the clubs up-and-coming youngsters were included in the England Saxons squad for the Churchill Cup and all will be involved tomorrow.

Catt starts at outside centre on Sunday with Riki Flutey at inside centre and Barry Everitt taking over the fly half  Nick Kennedy starts with Bob Casey at lock, allowing Kieran Roche to move to the back row alongside Olivier Magne and
Juan Leguizamon.

Gloucester have thrust Rob Thirlby into the side after Olly Morgan suffered a fractured jaw and Jon Goodridge underwent shoulder surgery to remove a bone spur.

The 27-year-old's last start was against Bucuresti in January and he has not played at full-back since Gloucester's Powergen Cup win over Bristol in October.

"We have no other options at full-back but Rob Thirlby's attacking flair is ideally suited to this weekend," said Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan.