Cardiff Blues, who currently lie in 8th spot in the Magners League table, have lost just one of their last seven games in all competitions. This game is the Blues' first cup final in any competition since the region was formed in 2003, however their forerunners Cardiff RFC did win the Welsh Cup on seven occasions between 1981-1997. Cardiff Blues have won their last nine encounters against English teams and have not lost to a team from England since their 20-42 defeat to Leicester at Welford Road in the EDF Energy Cup in November 2007. This is the first time since 1981 that a team from Cardiff has appeared at Twickenham, on that occasion Cardiff RFC participated in the Middlesex Sevens.

Gloucester Rugby, who reside in 5th place in the Guinness Premiership, have won just two of their last five matches in all competitions. Gloucester have lost on their last three visits to Twickenham since taking the RFU Knockout Cup there with a 40-22 victory over Northampton on 5 April 2003. The Cherry & Whites have won the Senior Cup on four previous occasions in 1972, 1978, 1982 (shared with Moseley) and 2003. Gloucester have lost just once before to a Welsh side in England in all competitions: 12-16 to Cardiff Blues at Kingsholm in pool six of this season's Heineken Cup.

Gloucester's EDF Energy path to the Final

4 Oct (Pool A): London Wasps (H) Won 24-19
Scorers: Vainikolo try; Walker try, conv, 3 pens, Lamb drop

Team: Willie Walker; Mark Foster, Jack Adams, Mike Tindall (capt), Lesley Vainikolo; Ryan Lamb, Rory Lawson; Alasdair Dickinson, Olivier Azam, Dave Young; Marco Bortolami, Alex Brown; Apolosi Satala, Andrew Hazell, Alasdair Strokosch.

Bench: Scott Lawson, Yann Thomas, Adam Eustace, Peter Buxton, Dave Lewis, Henry Trinder, Olly Morgan.

Replacements used: Eustace for Bortolami 48, S.Lawson for Azam 48, Buxton for Satala 53, Satala for Buxton 56, Buxton for Satala 63.

25 Oct (Pool A): Newport Gwent Dragons (H) Won 25-20
Scorers: Vainikolo 2, Balshaw, S.Lawson tries; Barkley conv, pen

Team: Iain Balshaw; Mark Foster, Mike Tindall (capt), Olly Barkley, Lesley Vainikolo; Willie Walker, Rory Lawson; Alasdair Dickinson, Scott Lawson, Carlos Nieto; Adam Eustace, Marco Bortolami; Peter Buxton, Andrew Hazell, Alasdair Strokosch.

Bench: Andy Titterrell, Jack Forster, Dan Williams, Apolosi Satala (sin bin 71), Dave Lewis, Tristan Roberts, Jack Adams.

Replacements used: Lewis for R.Lawson 11, Forster for Nieto 41, Satala for Dickinson 54, Adams for Walker 62, Titterrell for S.Lawson 67.

2 Nov (Pool A): Newcastle Falcons (A) Won 11-10
Scorers: Satala try; Barkley 2 pens

Team: Willie Walker; Iain Balshaw, Mike Tindall (capt), Olly Barkley, Lesley Vainikolo; Ryan Lamb, Gareth Cooper; Nick Wood, Andy Titterrell, Carlos Nieto; Adam Eustace, Alex Brown; Peter Buxton, Andrew Hazell, Alasdair Strokosch.

Bench: Olivier Azam, Alasdair Dickinson, Dan Williams, Apolosi Satala, Dave Lewis, Jack Adams, Charlie Sharples.

Replacements used: Azam for Titterrell 46, Dickinson for Wood 53, Satala for Hazell 59, Lewis for Cooper 63.

28 Mar (Semi-Final): Ospreys (at Coventry) Won 17-0
Scorers: Balshaw try; Lamb 3 pen, drop

Team: Olly Morgan; Iain Balshaw, Mike Tindall (capt), Anthony Allen, James Simpson-Daniel; Ryan Lamb, Rory Lawson; Alasdair Dickinson, Olivier Azam, Greg Somerville; Will James, Alex Brown; Alasdair Strokosch, Andrew Hazell, Gareth Delve.

Bench: Scott Lawson, Carlos Nieto, Marco Bortolami, Akapusi Qera, Gareth Cooper, Olly Barkley, Matthew Watkins.

Replacements used: Bortolami for Brown 5, Brown for Bortolami 14, Watkins for Tindall 29, Nieto for Dickinson 32, Barkley for Simpson-Daniel 41, Qera for Hazell 52, S.Lawson for Azam 58, Bortolami for James 67, Cooper for Balshaw 77.
Blues' EDF Energy path to the Final

4 Oct (Pool B): Sale Sharks (A) Won 18-17
Scorers: Halfpenny , Mustoe tries; Blair conv, pen; Sweeney pen

Team: Ben Blair; Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Robinson, Jamie Roberts, Gareth Thomas; Ceri Sweeney, Richie Rees; John Yapp, T.Rhys Thomas, Taufa'ao Filise; Bradley Davies, Paul Tito (capt); Andy Powell, Martyn Williams, Mark Lewis.

Bench: Gary Powell, Gareth Williams, Deiniol Jones, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Richard Mustoe, Nick Robinson, Tom Shanklin.

Replacements used: Mustoe for Halfpenny 50, Jones for Davies 53, G.Powell for Filise 54, Sowden-Taylor for A.Powell 65, N.Robinson for Sweeney 65, Shanklin for J.Robinson 66, G.Williams for R.Thomas 76.

25 Oct (Pool B): Leicester Tigers (H) Won 23-9
Scorers: J.Robinson, Spice tries; Blair 2 conv, 3 pens

Team: Ben Blair; Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Robinson, Jamie Roberts, Richard Mustoe; Nick Robinson, Jason Spice; John Yapp, Gareth Williams, Taufa'ao Filise; Deiniol Jones, Paul Tito (capt); Ma'ama Molitika, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Andy Powell.

Bench: Gary Powell, T.Rhys Thomas, Scott Morgan, Martyn Williams, Richie Rees, Ceri Sweeney, Tom Shanklin.

Replacements used: R.Thomas for G.Williams 67, Morgan for Jones 67, M.Williams for Sowden-Taylor 67.

31 Oct (Pool B): Bath Rugby (H) Won 24-18
Scorers: Filise, Molitika tries; Blair conv, 4 pens

Team: Ben Blair; Richard Mustoe, Jamie Robinson, Tom Shanklin (sin bin 52-62), Tom James; Nick Robinson, Jason Spice; John Yapp, Gareth Williams, Taufa'ao Filise; Deiniol Jones, Paul Tito (capt); Ma'ama Molitika, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Mark Lewis.

Bench: Gary Powell, Ross Johnson, Scott Morgan, Martyn Williams, Richie Rees, Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Thomas.

Replacements used: G.Powell for Yapp 32, Morgan for Tito 63, M.Williams for Lewis 63, Rees for Spice 74.

28 Mar (Semi-Final): Northampton Saints (at Coventry) Won 11-5
Scorers: Spice try; Blair 2 pens

Team: Ben Blair; Leigh Halfpenny, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Tom James; Nick Robinson, Jason Spice; Gethin Jenkins, Gareth Williams, Taufa'ao Filise; Deiniol Jones, Paul Tito (capt); Ma'ama Molitika, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Xavier Rush.

Bench: John Yapp, T.Rhys Thomas, Bradley Davies, Scott Morgan, Richie Rees, Ceri Sweeney, Jamie Robinson.

Replacements used: Davies for Jones 55, R.Thomas for G.Williams 63, Yapp for Filise 67, Morgan for Rush 77 .

Gloucester Rugby v Cardiff Blues
At Twickenham, Saturday 18 April, 2.30pm (Live on BBC)
Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU).
Touch Judges: Simon McDowell & David Keane (IRFU). TMO: John Sheehan (IRFU).