Gloucester Rugby: Molenaar aims to 'finish off' French rivals in payback for Hazell

'EMOTIONAL' Gloucester are ready to teach Mont de Marsan a lesson in clinical rugby – to avenge banned team-mate Andy Hazell.

Centre Tim Molenaar admitted the Cherry and Whites are preparing to grind tomorrow's French opponents into submission at Kingsholm (kick-off 3pm).

The Gloucester squad still feel aggrieved at evergreen flanker Hazell's treatment in their 11-6 October victory over Mont de Marsan in France.

The 34-year-old was rightly sent off for unloading a flurry of punches, angrily reacting to alleged eye gouging.

But Gloucester were incensed no action was brought against the Frenchmen at Stade Guy Boniface, for their alleged extreme unsporting and unsavoury action.

Hazell has never sought to exonerate his actions, and will be available for selection again from Monday.

A try bonus-point victory tomorrow will ensure Gloucester a home quarter-final in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Kiwi strike-runner Molenaar (right) said Gloucester are determined to take the moral high ground tomorrow and brush their French Top 14 opponents aside.

The 31-year-old former Nottingham centre explained: "There's definitely going to be an element of emotion to this game, one of our players has been out for 14 weeks because of what happened out there.

"So we really want to finish them off at home.

"We need to use that as a motivator, but also make sure we don't go out there and sink to their level, or take matters into our own hands.

"If we can finish them off as a team and feel happy with what we do on the rugby front, demoralise them as much as possible, then I think that would be enough for everybody – and potentially for Hazey as well.

"So we'll certainly be looking to make our point through the rugby.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get our game together and they won't be able to live with us.

"We don't want to lose anybody else to anything silly, on account of one person's actions.

"If anything were to happen again, then hopefully the officials will spot it and deal with it.

"And beyond that, we've got to make sure we don't let any of that faze us."

Bullish line-breaker Molenaar impressed in last weekend's 31-26 Bordeaux victory, becoming increasingly prevalent as the match drew on.

Molenaar has been a fixture in European action, but is craving more regular Premiership chances – and is comfortable to play whatever role required.

He continued: "Time on the pitch is what creates form, and you need that, and a certain level of consistency with a number of players around you too.

"It was good to get a run and try to get my way into the action in the second half as things progressed.

"If they want to pick me for the bench or to start, I offer a completely different dynamic from the playmaker side of things.

"Tinds is similar to me I suppose, and with Trinder coming back now too it mixes up options and combinations.

"The two centre roles are very different and I think some people maybe don't realise just how different they are.

"But I'm happy with either.

"You get a lot more space at 13 – but then space isn't always what you need.

"Sometimes you've got to go through the middle, that was the way last weekend and I would expect it to be the same again on Saturday.

"It's more combinations really, I was comfortable playing 13 with Eli (Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu) at 12.

"Inside centre I find a bit easier defensively, it's sometimes more obvious who you need to hit, and then you can carry straight through the middle on the front foot hopefully too.

"But the main thing is where you get used to as things move forward.

"I don't really have a preference and I'm happy to play wherever needed."