Greig Laidlaw 'right' to join Gloucester from Edinburgh

Greig Laidlaw has kicked 139 points in the Premiership this season

Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw has stood by his decision to leave his hometown club Edinburgh for Premiership side Gloucester last summer.

The two teams will meet in Friday's European Challenge Cup final, with Edinburgh hoping to become the first Scottish side to win a European trophy.

"It was the right decision to move away," said 29-year-old Laidlaw.

"I've really enjoyed it and feel I've played a lot of good rugby this year. I'll need to do that again on Friday."

Gloucester have struggled domestically this season, sitting ninth in the Premiership table with only eight wins from their 20 matches so far.

Edinburgh have had a similarly mixed campaign in the Pro12, lying seventh with two rounds of fixtures to go, but on Friday they will become the first Scottish representative in a major European final, having overcome Newport Gwent Dragons in the last four.

Laidlaw spent eight years with Edinburgh prior to leaving for Kingsholm last summer

"They've progressed since I left," continued Laidlaw, who has been capped 39 times by his country. "It's taken time under Alan Solomons but, credit to him, he's done a good job. The players are all playing very well and they deserve to be in the final.

"I know how desperate Edinburgh will be to win the final and be the first Scottish team to win this trophy, but I want to win things playing for Gloucester."

The Cherry and Whites are in their first European showpiece since the 2006 Challenge Cup final, when they beat London Irish to lift the trophy.

Laidlaw, who has started 11 times in the league this season, says Gloucester "need to do the simple things well" if they are to repeat that success against his former club.

"We're going to need a big performance to turn over a very good Edinburgh team," he said. "The forward battle is going to be key because their pack has been very strong.

"The boys have put in a big shift this season and we've been a bit disappointed in terms of the Premiership, but I feel we've played a lot of good rugby."