European Challenge Cup: Quarter-final tie 'huge' for Gloucester, says Jonny May

Former England winger Jonny May scored a try in Gloucester's last-16 Challenge Cup win against Castres last week

Gloucester winger Jonny May said their European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Ospreys is a "huge" chance to show what the team "believe we can do".

The Cherry and Whites have the home advantage when they face the Welsh side on Friday at Kingsholm.

Gloucester beat French club Castres to reach the knockout stages last week, with May one of the try-scorers.

"It's huge for us, it's huge for this group," May told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"A lot of hard work has gone into this group the last few years and maybe we haven't got the rewards that we would have hoped for and deserved, given the fact we really have put in the hard graft.

"There's been some challenging times this season as well but to be in a quarter-final feels awesome, it feels like we're getting an opportunity to play in a huge game and getting to show what we can do and what we believe we can do."

The Challenge Cup represents the second piece of silverware Gloucester are aiming to win this season, after they won the Premiership Rugby Cup last month - their first trophy win since they claimed the Challenge Cup in 2015.

However, Gloucester's form in the Premiership has been less consistent and they sit ninth in the table, having won four of their 14 games this campaign. They finished 10th last season.

"We've certainly had to show some resilience not just this year but in the last few seasons," May said.

"But we've stuck tight and this competition and the Prem Cup have been huge for us.

"Somehow we seem to have freed ourselves up a little bit, or found a way to rejuvenate ourselves for this competition and get a bit of form and get that bit of confidence and create a bit of a winning habit."

Ospreys 'well versed' on what to expect

George Skivington's Gloucester side are aiming to win a second trophy this season

Ospreys have plenty of connections to Gloucester to draw on ahead of the match, with their fly-half Owen Williams and skills and kicking coach James Hook both having played for the club.

New Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley moved to the Welsh outfit from Gloucester and Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington and Ospreys head coach Toby Booth previously worked together at London Irish.

"Their 10 [Williams] has been here before and he's a very good player so he can orchestrate the team well. They've got a good set-piece and they fight hard and you could see that within their group," Skivington said.

"It's going to be a really tough game and we're going to have to be seriously focused and ready.

"I know Toby Booth very well and he's got experience of here as well. I'm sure they'll be well versed by the time they come to Kingsholm on what that experience will be like."

Ospreys beat Sale in the previous round and Skivington said Gloucester need to improve before this weekend's game.

"We were realistic about our performance on the weekend, I think we got the job done - that was pretty much how we phrased it," he said.

"We weren't over pleased with some of the stuff we did and we probably gave Castres ins into the game where if we'd been a little bit more clinical we probably could have scored a few more tries and got on top slightly more, rather than bringing it down to a three-point game.

"We came away from that delighted to go through, delighted to be here on Friday night, but also very aware that there's bits we've got to sharpen up on."