European Cup/Gloucester 22 Munster 11: Ah well, sure Munster will turn them over back in fortress Thomond. Hmm. There seemed almost a dangerous expectancy in the Kingsholm air after this convincing defeat to Gloucester that history will repeat itself, more so amongst Munster's supporters admittedly, but it doesn't necessarily follow. Gerry Thornley reports from Kingsholm

The equation is not nearly so imposing, but such was the unreal need to win by four tries and 27 points in the return fixture last year that Munster were able to swing from the hip quite freely. Furthermore, forewarned is forearmed, and Gloucester will hardly be as unsuspecting next Saturday.

Sounding the most realistic note of all, Jim Williams warned: "I think it will be a much tighter game which could come down to kicks.

"I really don't think the game is going to be like it was last year. They're much the wiser about coming to Thomond Park and they know what to expect, so I expect the game to be much tougher this time.

"Obviously the pressure is back on us a little bit but we've been there in the past, so we've just to keep our heads down, work hard and get a good result next week."

Williams was right to contend that Munster "don't need a miracle" this time around, but in a two-horse race nevertheless the advantage in Pool Five is very much with Gloucester. In the event of teams finishing level after the pool stages, then final standings will be determined firstly by match points in the two meetings.

By denying Munster even a bonus point here, Gloucester will thus remain very much in pole position by merely obtaining one themselves next week and outscoring Munster by five points to four over the two games. With a two-point advantage going into their final two games away to Bourgoin and at home to Treviso, Gloucester would know that maximum points in their final two games would ensure they top the pool.

So Munster are under pressure to earn a home quarter-final, while failure to win next Saturday would seriously jeopardise their prospects of reaching the last eight.

Though they may not need a miracle performance to beat a Gloucester side which is now coming into its best form, they'll require an infinitely superior one to this.

Easily the most redeeming feature of this effort was their defensive organisation and work-rate. Unlike Leinster the night before, they weren't sucked in and kept their defensive shape and width in the face of a similarly expansive style.

It was all hands to the pump, with Anthony Foley (as ever) and Rob Henderson to the fore, though there were plenty of other notable tackle counts across the pitch - Paul O'Connell, John Hayes, Jim Williams, Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara and more.

In all other respects, as Munster coach Alan Gaffney candidly conceded, "Gloucester were by far the better side; there's no two ways about that. They dominated possession, they dominated territory, and for us to come out one-try all was the one thing I could take out of the game I suppose."

With two playmakers, Duncan McRae and Henry Paul, dovetailing in midfield, the Cherry and Whites played with far more depth, width and variation. It was to Munster's credit that while Gloucester kept them backpedalling they never penetrated them fatally or outflanked them, only piercing the unfamiliar blue wall once thanks to Paul's expert chip ahead for the predatory James Simpson-Daniel to pounce.

Munster, when they had a bit of ball possession, were made to look predictable by comparison. It was mostly one-off, close-in straight runners. Henderson gamely taking the ball up more than most, with Frankie Sheahan and Paul O'Connell ever-willing ball carriers, though further out Anthony Horgan looked about the most potent runner.

Curiously, David Wallace was almost anonymous.

Gloucester saw them coming and ganged up for the tackles. This also served to slow down Munster's ruck ball.

Peter Stringerand Ronan O'Gara had undistinguished games by their standards, inviting Gloucester to play their running game by kicking too much ball to them in the first half.

O'Gara, typically, was hard on himself for "a bad 10 minutes personally in the second-half", which began with a sliced touch-kick off a restart (a curiously recurring failing of his) after edging Munster 6-3 ahead.

"That will give me plenty to work on," he vowed.

As for his belated exchange with "Rocky" McRae, O'Gara confirmed that Gloucester's Aussie outhalf shook his hand at the end and said: "Sorry for all the shit."

So that's the end of the matter then? "Yeah," smiled O'Gara, with that glint in his eye, "at least until next week."

It would help their halves' cause no end if Munster had more options. Take the passage of play that led to their try and the brief, fleeting hope of at least a potentially invaluable bonus point. Painstakingly, and for little gain, Munster went through 10 phases - Henderson, Sheahan, O'Gara, O'Connell and Foley each taking the ball up twice - before Stringer slipped a one-handed pass behind his back for Gordon McIlwham.

The Scottish prop thus found a rare gap on the fringes, and Jim Williams was in support for some real yardage. From an ensuing tap penalty by the alert John Kelly and the recycle, Horgan crashed over.

At Thomond Park, Munster will, hopefully, ask far more questions of Gloucester than they did here. But for that to happen they will, as Gaffney conceded, need to be far more clinical at the breakdown.

First and foremost, Munster will need more ball and will have to improve their setpieces and especially their lineout.

Munster coughed up at least half a dozen of their own throws and can ill afford that at this level.

Williams blamed himself for an early wrong call, and Sheahan cited the noise of the Shed (which also won referee Nigel Williams over, especially in a hometown last quarter) for the occasional breakdown in communication.

However, Sheahan overcooked a couple of risky long throws with a sodden ball to O'Connell at the tail and, with John Hayes the last man as lifter, this invited Jake Boer to run deep into Munster territory.

Ultimately, the scoring began and ended with three-pointers from Paul which arose directly from lost Munster lineouts and more than anything else this underlying weakness cost them a bonus point.

The interruption to their pre-Christmas momentum always made this a big ask but in this, and much else, Munster will need to be a whole lot more accurate next week.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4 mins: Paul pen, 3-0; 12: O'Gara pen, 3-3; half-time: 3-3; 46: O'Gara pen, 3-6; 47: Simpson-Daniel try, Paul con. 10-6; 58: Paul pen, 13-6; 64: Paul pen, 19-6; 74: Horgan try, 19-11; 79: Paul drop goal, 22-11.

GLOUCESTER: J Goodridge; M Garvey, T Fanolua, H Paul, J Simpson-Daniel; D McRae, A Gomarsall; T Woodman, C Collins, A Deacon, A Brown, M Cornwell, J Boer (capt), J Paramore, P Buxton. Replacements: R Todd for Fanolua (68 mins), A Eustace for Cornwell (78 mins).

MUNSTER: S Payne; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, J Williams (capt), A Foley, D Wallace. Replacement: G McIlwham for Horan (55 mins).

Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales).