Gloucester will travel down the M5 reeling from a 42-12 thumping by leaders London Irish - their heaviest Premiership loss since May 2004 - and they can expect a powerful Bristol challenge.

Hill said: "The players are pumped up - they are determined to get out of this situation.

"It will be nice at some stage to look at the league table and not see us in 12th place.

"The manner in which we got the draw at Worcester pleased me more than anything else. The players know we've got that physicality back that Bristol have always had - that bit of dog.

"They are a tight group of players. It is going to be tough - Newcastle will be fighting - but one thing I can guarantee, is that we will fight to the very last."