GLOUCESTER may have had a week in Tenerife this month but it was more boot camp than holiday, writes Gary Baker.

The club hope it will lay the foundations for a much improved season; last term the Cherry and Whites under-achieved to finish way off the Aviva Premiership play-off places in eighth spot and missed out on the lucrative European Champions Cup.

A place in the top European competition rather than the Challenge Cup, which Gloucester won in May is the minimum requirement set out by Martin St Quinton when he bought out the Walkinshaw family to own the rugby club last year.

The Cherry and Whites play Glasgow Warriors tomorrow night in their second warm-up match of the month, having travelled to Dublin last Saturday to play Irish province Leinster where they came away with a 26-24 defeat.

The new campaign starts a week on Saturday and Gloucester face a tough baptism with the visit of Leicester Tigers.

Number eight Ben Morgan, the former Dursley RFC back row, was on the score sheet in Leinster.

“I was lucky to sneak over for a try," he said. "It is always nice to get one but it was the perfect end to the week and everything we wanted. Now we are looking forward to getting back into games.

“Pre-season has been good. We have had a tough couple of weeks We have just come back from a week in Tenerife. It has been a really good training camp and I think all the boys are all looking forward to getting stuck into the season."