Gloucester motivated to win Challenge Cup final - David Humphreys

Director of rugby at Gloucester David Humphreys believes the team do not require any additional motivation when they lock horns with Stade Francais in the final of the European Challenge Cup at Murrayfield Stadium on Friday.

The Kingsholm outfit will be eyeing their third Challenge Cup win after previously clinching the title in 2006 and 2015 to keep their hopes alive of making to the European Champions Cup tournament next season.

"There is no extra motivation required for a cup final - everybody knows how important this game is for the club," Gloucester rugby director Humphreys said.

"We have to win, and we still have an opportunity to get Gloucester into next season's Champions Cup. That has been the motivation since the start of the year.

"But first and foremost, it has been about getting ready for the challenge and quality Stade Francais will bring."

Full-back Tom Marshall and fly-half Billy Burns have returned to the starting line-up while scrum-half Willi Heinz also returns to the XV and will take over the captaincy from Greig Laidlaw, who moves to the bench.

Meanwhile, Stade Francais, who ended up as runners-up in 2011 and 2013, will be hoping for a change in fortune this time around on what has been a difficult campaign for them with talks on potential merger between themselves and Racing 92 which was scrapped later.

"We are very motivated," Stade skipper Sergio Parisse said.

"This season has been very difficult, but we must not forget the journey that we made to qualify for this final. We deserve to be here.

"We remained solid and united through adversity this season. There was a questioning of everyone.

"Maybe our level of motivation was a bit flat, but we did not let go. No matter what happens, it will be the craziest season I've had at Stade Francais."