Despite leading the Premiership and holding home advantage, Gloucester are underdogs for a Kingsholm clash that sold out weeks ago.

While 2006 European Cup winners Munster are on the scent of a seventh semi-final appearance, Gloucester have only reached the tournament’s penultimate knockout round once before.

That was seven years ago - Simpson-Daniel played in the 19-15 defeat against Leicester at Vicarage Road - and Gloucester have not seriously contested major European silverware since then.

It represents a poor return for such an established club - fellow English giants Leicester and Wasps can boast four Heineken Cup final triumphs between them during that period - and Simpson-Daniel knows it.

He said: “When people talk about the best sides in the country, it is always Leicester and Wasps.

“We can’t get a mention at the moment because we can’t prove we can compete with them consistently on the big stage.

“If we really expect to be mentioned with the top sides, then we’ve got to be able to win more trophies.

“This game is definitely one of the biggest I have known at Gloucester.

“We need to do everything right as far as our tactics are concerned.

“Munster are one of the best sides in Europe, but we want to be mentioned in the same breath as them, so this weekend is a perfect chance.

“Hopefully, we are not going to go out there with our tails between our legs and let them do everything.

“Munster have got that winning mentality - they make the big games go their way - and we are very much aware of that.

“If we go out there and slip off tackles and they get behind the gain-line, then there is no point in having done the analysis on them because you are going to lose.”