London Wasps may have been maintaining their high-flying form in the league since they were last on the European scene, but Warren Gatland's men met their match in spectacular style in the Powergen Cup.
The Pertemps Bees may have been a full division behind the Causeway Stadium outfit but they still managed to provide the shock of the season with a 28-24 win in February's thrilling quarter-final clash.
But even with a host of players missing through international duty, the London side bounced back with emphatic wins over Rotherham and Northampton just in time for European action.
Gloucester will be equally upbeat about this weekend's tie coming off the back of a fine away win at struggling Saracens to keep them in the domestic hunt.
It was just the Cherry and Whites' third outing since the end of the pool stages and their second win, the first coming in a 35-21 win at bottom of the table Rotherham before Nigel Melville's side were turned over at Sale Sharks back in March.
LONDON WASPS
22.02.04 W London Wasps 22 NEC Harlequins 21
29.02.04 L London Wasps 24 Pertemps Bees 28 Powergen Cup quarters
28.03.04 W London Wasps 39 v Rotherham Titans 11
04.04.04 W London Wasps 31 v Northampton Saints 5
11.04.04 London Wasps v Gloucester (3.00)
GLOUCESTER
22.02.04 W Rotherham Titans 21 Gloucester 35
26.03.04 L Sale Sharks 38 v Gloucester 20
04.04.04 W Saracens 8 v Gloucester 16
11.04.04 London Wasps v Gloucester (3.00)